Georgian vice-speaker: Cooperation in GUAM format important for European integration

Tbilisi, Georgia, Dec.2 By Nana Kirtzkhalia - Trend: Chairman of GUAM Parliament Assembly, Vice-Speaker of Georgian parliament Zurab Abashidze considers the cooperation in GUAM format as important on the way of European integration. GUAM brings together four countries: Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova. These countries have chosen the way of European integration and are included in Eastern Partnership program, he said. GUAM actively cooperates with the Assembly of Baltic countries, Benilux and Visegrad group, Abashidze said. It is planned to intensify relations with Scandinavian countries. Tbilisi is hosting the sixth meeting of GUAM Parliament Assembly today. Alongside with parliamentary delegations of GUAM countries, representatives of Poland, Latvia and Estonia are also participating in it. The chairman of GUAM PA is currently Georgia, but it will hand over the chairmanship to another member state of the organization on the principle of rotation at his meeting. "GUAM format was established by post-Soviet countries in 1997 at the meeting of the heads of states of the European Union in Strasburg. In 1999 Uzbekistan joined this format and after four years left it. At the first summit of this format in Kiev in 2006, these was adopted a decision about declaring GUAM an international organization and about its new name: "Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM".