Working visit of GUAM Secretary General Chechelashvili to Japan

On October 26 to November 1, 2011, the Secretary General of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development – GUAM, Mr. V. Chechelashvili, paid a working visit to Japan at the invitation of the Chairperson of the International Exchange Committee of the Wider Europe Research Centre, Professor Mr. S.Mutsushika.

During his stay in Japan, the Secretary General participated in the Symposium “The Black Sea Area in a Changing World – Old Issues in a New Bottle”, organised by the University of Shizuoka, where he appeared as one of the main spokespersons during Session 2 – “Regional Cooperation in the Black Sea Area”.

On October 31, 2011, within the framework of his working visit, the Secretary General held a meeting with the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. K.Hamada, and a Special Representative in charge of GUAM at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. T.Kozuki, held at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Japan. During the meeting, the parties discussed issues concerning the ongoing cooperation in the GUAM – Japan format in terms of the consequences of emergencies and the issue of tourism, among other areas of activity. Positively evaluating the promotion of GUAM – Japan joint tourism products, the parties noted the importance of the experience and the advisability of its application in other fields as well. Transportation, energetics and nanotechnologies were identified as prospective areas of cooperation.

On behalf of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Japan, a dinner was held with the participation of the Director of the Central Asia and Caucasus Division of the European Affairs Bureau, Mr. M.Ikegami, and the Director of the Central and South Eastern Europe Division of the European Affairs Bureau, Mr. K.Kawazu. The Ambassadors of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine in Japan were also invited and took part in the dinner.

The parties agreed to hold the next meeting in the GUAM – Japan format within the framework of the Council of Ministers of OCSE (in Vilnius on December 6-7, 2011).