OnJanuary 16, 2012an Energy Security Workshop was launched at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan within the partnership frameworkGUAM+Japan.
The opening ceremony was attended by Ambassadors and representatives of the relevant authorities of theGUAMmember-states, and theGUAMeconomic programs coordinator Mr. S.Tamirov.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan was represented by Special Representative in charge of GUAM Mr. T.Kozuki, Director of the Central and South Eastern Europe Division Mr. K.Kawaze, Principal Deputy Director of the Economic Security Division Sh.Umetsu.
Addressing the participants of the workshop, Ambassador of Ukraine Mykola Kulinich gave high appraisal of the development of political and economic dimensions of the GUAM-Japan dialogue and expressed gratitude to the Government of Japan for support of the projects carried out in theGUAMregion in energy, transport, tourism and other spheres.
Special emphasis was made on the prospects of construction of LNG terminal inUkraineas a project having not only national, but also regional significance. Ambassador M.Kulinich expressed the expectations that following the Road Show of the Ukrainian National Investment Projects held in December last year in Japan (Tokyo and Osaka), among which an LNG-terminal construction project was presented, concrete accords would be reached with the prospective Japanese investors. In this regard it was stated that the Government of Ukraine counts on the Japanese support in implementation of this project both as a potential investor and a bearer of appropriate technologies and expertise.
Ambassador of Ukraine stressed on the importance of advancing cooperation among GUAM member states with the support of Japan in diversifying energy resources and their transportation/transit routes as a priority of GUAM member states common agenda, particularly, within the GUAM Sectoral Cooperation Development Strategy.
The Workshop is held following the 5th Meeting of the GUAM Working Group on Energy, which took place inBakuin December 2011.