VALDAS ADAMKUS: "THE NUMBER OF LETTERS IN THE WORD "GUAM" SHOULD BE INCREASED: IT WOULD CONSOLIDATE BOTH THE ORGANIZATION AND THE PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES"

Today.Az
/politics/48978.html
Nov 14 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus.

– How can you characterize the intergovernmental relations between
Azerbaijan and Lithuania? What steps, do you think, should be taken
to improve them?

– Today Lithuania and Azerbaijan are linked by close and friendly
political, economic and cultural relations that we value very
highly. Together we are working towards strengthening the GUAM
organization, expanding contacts between the countries of the Baltic,
Black and Caspian Sea regions, and making cooperation in the energy
field more intense. I am confident that in the future we will further
consolidate economic cooperation, increase investment flows, improve
transport connections, and exchange cultural experience because we
find each other interesting and unique. Needless to say: stronger
ties between the European Union and Azerbaijan would contribute to
an even more dynamic development of our bilateral relationship. I
can assure you that Baku has a reliable ally in the European Union,
and that is Lithuania.

– The fourth energy summit to be attended by Presidents of Ukraine,
Turkey, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Georgia and other heads of
states will kick off in Baku on November 14. Is it possible to say
that today Baku has become a regional leader?

– I can state with full confidence that Azerbaijan is emerging as a
regional leader. This is predetermined not only by the strategically
important location of your country, but also by your resolve to
pursue the course of reform and openness to the rest of the world. I
am convinced that ever more intense relations between Azerbaijan
and European Union and the ongoing democratic reforms will further
strengthen your country and its role in the region.

– As is known, today Lithuania is seeking alternative projects in
the sphere of energy supply. Which role can Azerbaijani oil play in
this search?

– I am delighted that Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Poland, Ukraine, Georgia,
and other countries are demonstrating remarkable political maturity
and responsibility and that together they are set to diversify energy
sources, thus contributing to improved energy security in the whole of
Europe and its neighboring areas. In this respect, Azerbaijan plays a
very important role as an energy supplier. I would like to underline
that in the global world of the 21st century, those countries that
jointly and concertedly address newly emerging challenges and problems
will emerge as winners. Azerbaijan is building energy security through
close cooperation with other countries and, therefore, Baku serves
as an example to other countries in the region.

– Lithuania is demonstrating interest towards the TRASECA project,
which must communicate Europe, Caucasus countries and Central Asia,
bypassing Russia. Does it mean that thus your country is displaying
interest in expansion of its export to Azerbaijan? When will it be
possible to speak of the definite work for execution of this idea?

– The development of international transport corridors has a profound
impact on the economies of every country in the corridor and the
neighboring regions. The TRACECA corridor offers, first and foremost,
alternative transportation options for countries suppliers, like
China and India, for transit countries, like Georgia and Azerbaijan,
and for countries consumers in Western Europe. The operating corridor
will be used most efficiently by exporters from both Lithuania and
Azerbaijan as a strategic multi-faceted project that has connections
in the South Caucasus and Central Asian regions.

The extension of the trilateral Viking project
(Lithuania-Belarus-Ukraine) would definitely promote the development
of the TRACECA corridor. Viking is a cargo train linking the Baltic
Sea and the Black Sea. Azerbaijan, together with Turkey, has been
invited to join this project. If your country becomes a partner in the
Viking project, it will connect three sea regions: the Baltic Sea,
the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. It would be the first time that
such an ambitious project is realized.

– As is known, Lithuania intends to get an observer status under the
TRASECA project. Will this issue be raised during Baku talks in the
framework of the summit and is the reaction of the TRASECA secretariat
to the intentions of the Lithuanian side clear?

– Since the TRACECA project is greatly important to Lithuania, we hope
that a positive decision will be made as soon as in December this year.

– What does Azerbaijan mean for Lithuania? What do you think about
further development of GUAM? Is it possible that Lithuania joins GUAM?

– GUAM contributes to the development of democracy, security and
stability in the region; it helps the countries of the South Caucasus
and the Black Sea regions to independently project their future:
enhance their image across the world, strengthen transport and energy
links, and improve the well-being of their people. Such projects as
the transport corridor Europe-GUAM-Asia and the GUAM transit corridor
are key to the economic growth of the entire region.

Lithuania is already distributing GUAM "business cards" among western
countries: we have invited EU member states to establish a Group of
GUAM Friends; high ranking Lithuanian officials participate in GUAM
events; and six conferences of GUAM intellectuals were held in Vilnius
under my patronage with many guests invited from Europe. This process
must be continued. We have to use more actively the intellectual and
cultural dimensions to improve GUAM’s visibility on the international
arena. The number of letters in the word "GUAM" should be increased:
it would consolidate both the organization and the participating
countries.

– You are famous as an experienced political figure. How do you think
should the Nagorno Karabakh conflict be settled: in the framework
of the world recognized territorial integrity of Azerbaijan or on
the basis of the right of people for self-determination? Lithuania
speaks for the active participation of international mediators in
the sphere of the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. Is Lithuania
ready to contribute to this mission?

– Lithuania strongly supports and will support your efforts to
peacefully settle the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. We stand for a solution
which would best reflect the will and wishes of the participating
countries and their citizens. Such a solution must be based on the
universally recognized principles of international law as well as
enhance security and stability in the region and beyond its boundaries.

With an optimism we follow recent developments in the region,
especially the signed Declaration among the Presidents of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation, on 2 November in Moscow. At
the same time, we also want to stress a need to work closely with all
parties involved, not only Russia. We believe that the US, Turkey,
EU and OSCE can and must also play a crucial role in settlement the
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

We strongly believe that the settlement of the conflict must be
based upon Madrid Principles, notably, the deployment of international
peacekeepers and withdrawal of Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh forces. If
such a settlement is reached, Lithuania would be ready to consider
contributing to possible international presence in Nagorno-Karabakh
as well as supporting other confidence-building measures.

– Which assistance can Lithuania provide in Azerbaijan’s integration
to the European Union? Which experience can Azerbaijan assimilate
from Lithuania on the way of EU accession?

– Lithuania strongly supports your country’s aspirations for
developing qualitatively new and more dynamic relations with the
European Union. It is the best way to promote sustainable development
and to create a prosperous Azerbaijan.

Lithuania has successfully carried through the required reforms on the
path to the European Union. Today, we willingly share our experience
with friends in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and Azerbaijan. We are
ready to communicate our experience gained in other fields as well:
Lithuania could help Azerbaijan harmonize its legal framework,
tailoring it towards simplified border crossing procedures and
facilitated trading. We operate an efficient cargo train Viking which
crosses the external EU-Belarus border in only 30 minutes – a record
time in the whole of the European Union.