Dear Mr. Chairman,
Dear participants of the round table,

At the outset, let me express my gratitude to the organizers of this round table for the interest invested in GUAM. I am convinced, that the results of this workshop will have, together with theoretical, also practical value for the current phase of Organization’s development. I will try to explain why.

At the Kiev GUAM Summit of Heads of States on May, 23rd the last year Presidents of four countries decided to transform GUAM from the initiative into the full-fledged international organization. GUAM Charter, the Regulations of Secretariat, Financial provisions, Rules of Procedure, other statutory documents have been signed. During this year serious work on networking of cooperation in the GUAM framework had taken place and institutionalization of the Organization was practically completed. As one of the outcome of this process, I today have an opportunity to address to this distinguished audience as GUAM Secretary general.

The Baku GUAM Summit planned for June, 19th of this year, means not simply picking up Presidency by Azerbaijan from Ukraine. We are entering into a new phase of cooperation. Together with Plan of Azerbaijan’s Presidency in the Organization three sectoral strategies of GUAM cooperation will be approved: in the field of economic cooperation, cooperation in law-enforcement area and cooperation in cultural-humanitarian area. Simultaneously work will be conducted in eight working groups, and each GUAM Member state will coordinate activities of two working groups, being guided by the goals and objectives, formulated in the respective sectoral strategy of cooperation.

Hence, activities of GUAM, success of our Organization will depend on concrete subjects, reflected in the Agendas of working groups, and, forgive me for awkward expression, from quality of considered ideas and quality of approved documents. As the result of this process we should receive new proposals for the development of legal base of multilateral cooperation and will define the prospects for the implementation of regional projects, including that of infrastructure character, being the best materialization of interaction in GUAM format.

In other words, ideas should be realistic, plans well defined, and results of work practical. It is very important, the results of cooperation within GUAM framework to be positively assessed entrepreneurs and citizens of our countries. At the current stage I would like to emphasize the priority goals of GUAM cooperation as follows: full-fledged functioning of a free trade zone, toughening of struggle with organized, including transnational, crime, enhancing of cultural-humanitarian cooperation. In aggregate these components represent a basis of space of civilized partnership and its establishment represents one of GUAM primary goal. Naturally, major external direction of activity of the Organization is consolidation of support of international, first of all, the European community for the policy of GUAM Member States and Organization itself for the peaceful settlement of conflicts. These will be the priorities, I will focus the activities of Secretariat on.

In all this diversified activities, I believe, the academic circles of the countries GUAM, the experts engaged in various areas can render very useful assistance to our Organization. This is how I see the value of today’s gathering. From our side I can assure you, that GUAM Secretariat is ready to cooperate. It will become fully operational since September, and since New Year will be located in the permanent office on Maydan Nezalejnosti. Always welcome.

To conclude with, allow me to thank once again all organizers and participants of this round table and to express the hope, that the today’s meeting will serve as a good starting point for our future active cooperation.

Kyiv
14.06.2007