Leaders of the GUAM member states – Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova - adopted a joint declaration upon conclusion of the summit in Chisinau on April 22 and stated that the organization is turning into a meaningful vehicle for regional cooperation, the news agency NewsMoldova reported.

“Our organization is emerging as a powerful force, participating in resolving problems in the Caspian-Black Sea region… [GUAM] member states share a common approach against terrorism and separatism,” Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan stated after the summit was over, adding that the joint declaration reflects these very same principles.

Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko said that “a new page was written” in GUAM history by the Chisinau summit.

Yushchenko said that the GUAM stands on, as he put it, “three whales” – democracy, economic development and security/stability.

“There are four hot spots [Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transdnestria and Nagorno-Karabakh] in our region. And Ukraine sets giving a boost to resolving at least one of these conflicts as its goal,” Yushchenko said. He also stated that Ukraine has drafted a proposal over Transdnestria conflict resolution, titled “Seven Steps,” adding that Ukraine will submit the full plan within three weeks.