Azerbaijan, Baku, July 19, Trend, S. Agayeva
Ukraine supports intensification of economic projects within the GUAM. There are enough economic projects to be promoted within the GUAM, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishenko told journalists today in Baku.
For a long time GUAM existed as a politicized organization, but now it is necessary to develop economic projects, Grishenko believes. After the deinstitutionalization of the GUAM its work should change significantly and the main focus should be made on energy projects, shipping, and much more, he said.
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 this format, but after 4 years, quitted. In 2006, the first summit of this format in Kiev decided to declare GUAM an international organization with a new name: "Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM".