Azernews.Az

Five leaders signed a declaration on the regional GUAM group`s integration in conclusion of a summit held in the Georgian town of Batumi last Wednesday.
The paper was signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine, Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, Lech Kaczynski of Poland and Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania.
In the document entitled "GUAM: Integrating Eastern Europe", the member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova - reaffirmed their commitment to democratic values, respect for human rights and freedoms, the rule of law, preserving the moral and cultural heritage and strengthening the spirit of tolerance.
The heads of state expressed deep concern over lingering conflicts, separatism, extremism and the presence of international hearths of terror. They also stressed the importance of implementing a development strategy on cooperation in economics, humanitarian aid and other fields.
President Aliyev said in his remarks at the summit that regional cooperation in many areas including security, energy and humanitarian aid has expanded since a similar event of GUAM was held in Baku, which has contributed to increasing the group`s influence.
Aliyev welcomed the firm and united stance of GUAM states during discussions on the resolution concerning the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, which was subsequently passed at the UN General Assembly.
The president emphasized that the conflicts flaring in the GUAM states must be resolved strictly in line with international law and the territorial integrity of states. He voiced hope that regional disputes would find a solution soon.
Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan`s economy was rapidly developing despite a lingering conflict with Armenia over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh.
He said the Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Gars railway project would foster further unity among regional states. "The railway will not only be a bridge among the countries hosting it but also link Asia and Europe."
Then speaking Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili highly assessed Azerbaijan`s efforts made during its chairmanship in GUAM, saying the country was Georgia`s reliable partner.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko focused on "frozen" conflicts in his speech. He said GUAM should come up with new initiatives during talks on settling unresolved conflicts.
"GUAM should step up its endeavors in facilitating dialog on the resolution of conflicts," Yushchenko added.
Touching on regional economic cooperation, Yushchenko said Japan has stated its readiness to finance projects implemented by GUAM.
"The Japanese government has told the GUAM members that it might allocate $200 million to fund the projects being realized within the organization," he told the press.
The projects mainly cover the fields of transport and tourism infrastructure, Yushchenko added.