DUSHANBE , May 25, Asia-Plus -- Georgia and Ukraine consider that GUAM is an important regional association that has become international organization.

Vice-premiers of Georgia (Georgy Baramidze) and Ukraine (Yuri Melnik) remarked this in Dushanbe Thursday [May 25].  

“We hope that states, which share common goals and ideas and are strengthened by democracy and development of economic ties, will be able to get a lot,” Georgy Baramidze said speaking to journalists after the meeting the CIS Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe .  

For his part, Ukrainian Vice-Premier Yuri Melnik noted that that region association was of significant importance for Ukraine .   “And the events that took place this week [renaming GUAM] show that through renaming the organization we have outlined what is of first priority for us in GUAM,” said Mr. Melnik, “It is economic development and democracy.”

GUAM is the regional association grouping Georgia , Ukraine , Azerbaijan and Moldova .  On Tuesday May 23, GUAM leaders adopted a charter changing the group’s status and renaming it GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development.