GUUAM NEWS
Embassies of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan – Washington, D.C.- November 9, 2001
GUUAM Discusses Transportation Corridors
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On November 7-8, representatives of GUUAM governments met in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss security and functioning of the region’s transportation corridors. The meeting focused on specific measures and projects aimed at enhancing cooperation in the transportation sphere in accordance with the principles of the Yalta Charter of GUUAM. Representatives of the United States Government and the Baku-based TRACECA (Transportation Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) Permanent Secretariat also participated in the meeting. Participants held consultations in two working groups, focusing on security and functioning of the transport corridors. GUUAM representatives signed a Joint Protocol in which the areas of cooperation were specified as the following: preventing use of transport corridors for terrorist, extremist and criminal purposes; combating international terrorism and organized crime; preventing illegal arms trade; combating drug-trafficking; preventing illegal migration; strengthening the regime of non-proliferation of radioactive materials and other types of weapons of mass destruction; combating proliferation of dual-use technologies; harmonizing transport –related legislative base; simplifying and unifying border-crossing procedures; improving of the customs information exchange systems; modernizing transport and communication systems. To ensure security of the transportation corridors it was agreed to recommend GUUAM Heads of States to appoint special representatives charged with developing transportation security projects and to conduct regular seminars for government officials involved in these projects. The participants have also asked the Ukranian Government to prepare a draft of an intergovernmental agreement in the area of transportation security and combating trafficking. |
Creation of databases and exchange of information as well as training of customs personnel and improving customs-related equipment were named among the key measures to strengthen customs controls. Special attention was paid to the issues of border security. Among the measures suggested are ensuring a unified technological regime of border crossing points along GUUAM’s transportation corridors and joint projects in strengthening land and maritime borders of GUUAM states to prevent transit of illegal immigrants through their territories. Additionally, the participants discussed establishing a unified computer-based information network for GUUAM border guard services, addressing the issue of migrants illegally present on the territories of GUUAM states, as well as general and crisis-management training for border control expert. In the area of ensuring functioning of transport corridors the participants agreed to establish special expert groups working on relevant legislative proposals and defining priorities in modernizing GUUAM’s transportation infrastructure. Agreements have also been reached on conducting meetings of GUUAM Transport Ministers, heads of customs and border guard services as well as on coordinating efforts to implement the “Main Multilateral Agreement on Developing the International Transportation Corridor Europe –Caucasus –Asia.” The Protocol of the meeting in Baku will be submitted for approval to the GUUAM Foreign Ministers, who will meet this month during the 56th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. GUUAM NEWS is published monthly by Embassies of GUUAM countries - Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Moldova – in Washington, D.C. |