On 2 December 2010, within the margins of the OSCE Summit in Astana (Kazakhstan), the 13th meeting of the GUAM Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs (CMFA) was held under the chairmanship of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mr. K.I.Gryschenko with the participation of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia Mr. G.Vashadze, Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. A.Azimov of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Deputy Foreign and European Integration Minister Mr. A.Popov of the Republic of Moldova, Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. P.Klimkin of Ukraine, and Secretary General of GUAM Ambassador V.Chechelashvili.
CMFA took into consideration the pace of the implementation of GUAM Action Plan till the end of 2010, discussed the issue of parties’ interaction within the Item 14 of the Agenda of the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly “Protracted conflicts in GUAM area and their implications for international peace, security and development” as well as regarding draft resolution on cooperation between the UN and GUAM, and took the Decision on adoption of Plans of interaction among GUAM member states’ diplomatic missions to other international organizations for 2010-2011.
CMFA discussed the issues of GUAM sector cooperation, took the Decisions on approval of coordinating countries of GUAM sector working groups for 2011-2012 and on establishment of Joint Commission on cooperation in the field of prevention of civil emergencies and elimination of their consequences.
CMFA endorsed proposals on elaboration of document referred to a mechanism of functioning of Working Body that coordinates Parties’ activities on implementing the Agreement on Establishment of Free Trade Area among the GUUAM Participating States of 20 July 2002, and the Rules of determination of country of origin of goods in accordance with the WTO standards, as well as on organization of “Investment Forum”, the GUAM Business Council’s meeting, and “The best bank of GUAM-2010” contest.
CMFA estimated positively the advancement of joint GUAM-Japan tourist product and the results of joint law-enforcement operations in sphere of combating drug trafficking “Narcostop-2010” (from 15 September to 15 October 2010) and in sphere of combating trafficking-in-persons and illegal migration “Interception-2010” (from 1 October to 30 October 2010). CMFA supported some other initiatives, in particular, on establishment of GUAM VLEC mechanisms for deepen operative cooperation among law-enforcement and other competent agencies, marked the job on organizing joint GUAM-Japan workshop in sphere of prevention of civil emergencies, and intensifying the efforts on providing GUAM member states’ participation in implementation of Eastern Partnership Flagship Initiatives on “Integrated Border Management” and “Prevention of, preparedness for, and response to natural and man-made disasters”.
CMFA discussed the issues of GUAM cooperation with partner-countries, in particular, organization of GUAM-USA and GUAM-Japan meetings at the level of GUAM Council of national Coordinators (CNC), took as a basis the CNC recommendations on a platform of the Second GUAM-USA Framework Program and instructed to elaborate similar platform for GUAM-Japan consultations.
CMFA discussed the issue on transmission of chairmanship in the Organization and took the Decision on approval of the Secretary General of GUAM for the next term.
The next CMFA meeting is planned for January-February 2011.
