GUUAM NEWS

Embassies of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan – Washington, D.C.- May 18, 2001

GUUAM:

*On May 17-18, the GUUAM National Coordinators Committee held its sixth session in Kyiv, Ukraine. The session focused on preparations for the GUUAM summit in early June 2001.

*Chambers of Commerce of GUUAM countries conducted a two-day seminar in Baku, Azerbaijan on May 3-4. Participants of the seminar, which was attended by representatives of the U.S. Government and several European countries, paid special attention to increasing the efficiency of the TRACECA corridor and harmonization of trade and customs regulations among the GUUAM countries. Participants of the seminar were received by Azerbaijan’s President Heydar Aliyev.

Azerbaijan:

*BP, a leading company in the international Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC), announced that the results of basic engineering for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main oil pipeline showed that the route is viable and said that investors have authorized a $150 million detailed engineering study to be completed by mid-2002.

*In related news, the U.S. Administration’s National Energy Policy report called for greater U.S. support for development of oil and gas reserves of the Caspian, specifically in Azerbaijan.

Georgia:

*On May 12, in his annual state of the nation address, President Eduard Shevardnadze stressed the need to establish the institute of prime-minister. Accordingly, the President brought the initiative for a constitutional amendment to the parliament. “The model of strong president, a strong parliament and an authoritative government will further the process of democratization in Georgia," said Mr. Shevardnadze. Should the president's initiative pass, the most obvious candidate for the Prime Minister's post is the Chairman of the Parliament and leader of the Citizens' Union party, Zurab Zhvania.


*On May 15, in Tbilisi, Georgian Foreign Minister Irakli Menagarishvili and Russian Deputy PM Ilia Klebanov continued negotiations on the fate of Russian bases in Georgia. Parties agreed that in early June the expert groups would discuss the Russian proposal on withdrawal of the bases from Batumi and Akhalkalaki. Also, this week, the Russian side has to present the document on withdrawal of the base in Gudauta, which should be completed no later than July 1, 2001.

Moldova:

*At the 3rd reunion of the "Republic of Moldova – EU" Cooperation Council in Brussels on May 15-16, Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev stated that "integration into the EU remains a strategic objective of the Republic of Moldova" and reiterated the country's interest in being an active participant in NATO's PfP program. In Brussels, he met with NATO Secretary General, Lord George Robertson, European Commissioner Christopher Patten and Secretary General of the EU's Council, Javier Solana.

*On May 5, authorities of the separatist Transnistrian republic released Moldovan dissident Ilie Ilascu, who prior to his imprisonment in 1992 for alleged terrorist activities against Tiraspol's regime, was the head of the Moldovan Popular Front branch in Transnistria. In 1994 and 1998 Ilascu was elected to the Moldovan Parliament, and, after receiving Romanian citizenship, became senator of Romania in November 2000.

Ukraine:

Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov paid a three-day working visit to Ukraine on May 13. During the visit, the two sides signed 12 bilateral documents, including major agreements on natural gas such as the agreement on deliveries of Turkmen natural gas to Ukraine for the period of 2002-2006 and purchase of natural gas for the next year. The two Heads of States also inaugurated a monument to Turkmen poet and philosopher Makhtumkuli in Kyiv.

Uzbekistan:

*On April 23 President Islam Karimov received John Beyrle, Acting Special Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State for the NIS, who is.the first representative of the new U.S. Administration to visit Uzbekistan. President Karimov noted that he considers the visit by John Beyrle as a sign of increasing interest by official Washington in cooperation with Uzbekistan. The sides discussed joint counter–terrorism efforts, peace settlement in Afghanistan, security of Uzbekistan’s borders and fighting drug trafficking. The Amercan side presented 40 night-vision devices worth $100,000 to Uzbekistan’s border troops.

*Participants of NATO’s “Science for Peace” project visited Uzbekistan’s Khorezm region on May 16 to study seismic risk in the area.

GUUAM NEWS is published monthly by

Embassies of GUUAM countries - Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Moldova – in Washington, D.C.

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