Azernews.Az

GUAM Parliamentary Assembly (PA) is concerned about the lack of progress in resolving the protracted conflicts in the GUAM area,Trend news agency reported.

"GUAM PA expresses its extreme concern about the lack of progress in resolving the protracted conflicts in the GUAM area, including preserving the current state of these conflicts," a communique issued in Baku following the fifth session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) said on Friday. "This is a threat not only to the GUAM member states, but for Europe."

GUAM PA welcomed recent intensifying and expanding the international organization's activity and also stressed the importance of further strengthening the mutually beneficial relations with the Baltic Assembly, Benelux parliament and other international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations.

The Parliamentary Assembly also spoke in favor of the need to intensify GUAM's activity as an effective mechanism to promote common foreign policy priorities of GUAM member states.

The Parliamentary Assembly appreciated Azerbaijan's contribution to European energy security and supported energy projects in GUAM member states.

The session participants appreciated the role of regional and international parliamentary organizations in the development of inter-regional cooperation. They stressed the importance of an effective partnership dialogue and cooperation between GUAM PA and other regional parliamentary organizations as an effective mechanism to develop this cooperation.

The sides stressed the important role of GUAM PA in strengthening democracy, observing the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedoms, economic development of countries and ensuring the security and stability in the region. The participants of the fifth meeting of GUAM PA reaffirmed the need to strengthen cooperation within the Parliamentary Assembly for the sustainable development of the GUAM countries through dynamic economic growth and social cohesion.

The Parliamentary Assembly expresses support for intensifying the development of closer relations with the EU, including within the Eastern Partnership program, taking into account the individual characteristics and aspirations of each GUAM member state, the communique said.