*** Welcome to piglix ***

GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development

GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development
Организация за демократию и экономическое развитие — ГУАМ
Logo of GUAM
Logo
Locations of GUAM member states (orange) and observers (green) in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.
Locations of GUAM member states (orange) and observers (green) in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.
Headquarters Ukraine Kiev, Ukraine
Official language
Member states
Leaders
• Secretary General
Altai Efendiev
Establishment
• Consultative forum
10 October 1997
• GUUAM
1999
• Charter signed
June 2001
Area
• Total
810,506 km2 (312,938 sq mi)
Population
• 2014 estimate
62,140,327
GDP (PPP) 2004 estimate
• Total
456,173
• Per capita
7,154

The GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (Russian: Организация за демократию и экономическое развитие — ГУАМ) is a regional organization of four post-Soviet states: Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova.

GUAM's charter was signed during a summit in Yalta on 6 to 7 June 2001 by the four current members and Uzbekistan, which later withdrew. According to the former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko the charter set objectives for cooperation, such as promoting democratic values, ensuring stable development, enhancing international and regional security and stepping up European integration. Moldova's 2000 elections were won by the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova who subsequently realigned their foreign policy towards Europe shortly before the parliamentary election held in March 2005.

In June 2007, GUAM nations agreed to form a 500-personnel joint peacekeeping force to battle separatism.

Given the existence of the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), GUAM is sometimes seen in Russia as a way of countering the Russian influence in the area and as part of a strategy backed by the United States. However, GUAM leaders repeatedly and officially dismiss such claims and declare their strong willingness to develop close friendly relations with Russia. Moreover, Azerbaijan, the group's main energy power, has managed to avoid any conflicts with Russia in recent years.

Although the largest portion of GUAM population is Ukrainians (71.3% as of 2014), the Ukrainian language is not an official among GUAM participants. Russians are the second biggest national community of the organization. In 2014, the group moved to use English instead of Russian as a working language at its meetings.


...
Wikipedia

...