GUUAM Foreign Ministers Communiqué signed in Porto

Washington, D.C. December 13, 2002 – On the margins of the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Porto, Portugal, on December 6, the second session of the Council of GUUAM Foreign Ministers took place. The Heads of delegations discussed the issues of further enhancement of cooperation and interaction within GUUAM.

The Council mapped out ways of implementing the first meeting’s decisions and emphasized the importance of realization of agreements, reached at the second session of GUUAM Working Group on combating terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking. The Heads of delegations endorsed the adopted Framework GUUAM-USA Program, which includes: establishment of the GUUAM Virtual Center on combating terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking and other dangerous types of crimes; introduction of unified data exchange system in antiterrorism activity; proposals on implementation of projects on strengthening the cooperation of and interaction between GUUAM States on border and customs control issues.

The Council underlined importance of implementing Protocols and agreements, concluded during several meetings of GUUAM working groups and other fora. Those documents comprise provisions on economy, trade, taxation etc. The Heads of delegations also spoke for more active cooperation with WTO, Eurocomission, EFTA, CEFTA, NAFTA and other interested organizations, to this end.

The Ministerial Council supported the Resolution and Address to the UN Secretary General, adopted during the Forum on the cooperation of GUUAM women organizations. These documents call for more active participation of women in resolution of social, economic and political problems.

The Council further recommended to continue developing concrete projects at the joint GUUAM-US meetings of experts, to be held in January-February of 2003.

The Council of GUUAM Foreign Ministers deemed necessary and authorized GUUAM Chair-country to apply formally to the United Nations to register GUUAM, in accordance with the chapter VIII of the UN Charter.

The Heads of delegations also took into consideration the information about the Ukraine’s preparations to host the meeting of GUUAM Parliamentary Speakers in order to establish GUUAM Parliamentary Assembly.

The Council of GUUAM Foreign Ministers decided to have its Third session in Tbilisi in May, 2003.

Embassy contacts: Azerbaijan – Khazar Ibrahim (202) 337-3500; Georgia - Mariam Zhgenti (202) 387-2390; Moldova – Victor Chirila; (202) 6671130; Ukraine – Myroslava Scherbatiuk (202) 3330606; Uzbekistan – Ravshan Nazarkulov (202) 8875300.