Spain, Madrid / Тrend corr A. Maharramli / "The Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM is developing a statement which will reflect the unified position of the GUAM countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) on the settlement of frozen conflicts, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in Madrid on 30 November when speaking to the OSCE countries' Foreign Ministers.
"The statement envisages a respect for the territorial integrity of the countries within the framework of international law, as well as returning internally displaced persons to their land," Mammadyarov said.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, conflicts connected with claims of national minorities for self-determination occurred in 3 post-Soviet republics - Azerbaijan, Moldova and Georgia.
Mammadyarov voiced his concern due to the persistence of terrorism, drug trafficking and illegal economic relations in GUAM countries, which is caused by still unsettled conflicts.
Four post-Soviet republics; Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova, established the GUAM format in 1997 during a summit of presidents of European Union countries in Strasburg. In 1999, Uzbekistan joined the organization but left four years later. In 2006, at the first summit of the organization in Kiev a decision was made to announce GUAM as an international organization with a new name; Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM.