GUAM ORGANIZATION FOR DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development: translation

Intergovernmental organization. A regional organization comprised ofGeorgia,Ukraine,Azerbaijan, andMoldova, the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development takes its name from an acronym of its members. The group’s charter was signed on 7 June 2001 in Yalta inCrimea. The organization originally includedUzbekistan, which at that time was positively oriented toward theUnited Statesand fearful of the Russian influence in thenear abroad(Uzbekistan pulled out in 2005, following a bloody crackdown on protesters in Andijan).The goals of the organization includedemocracypromotion, developing common strategies for economic development, and enhancing regional security. Viewed as a counterbalance to Russia’s dominance of theCommonwealth of Independent Statesand its affiliated agencies, GUAM enjoyed the support of Washington and theEuropean Union. In its short history, GUAM has sought to improve energy cooperation, develop a jointpeacekeepingforce, and address the frozen conflicts inTransnistria,Nagorno-Karabakh,Abkhazia, andSouth Ossetia; however, little of substance has materialized.

See alsoCommunity of Democratic Choice.