Georgian, Spanish FMs Meet in Madrid to Expand Bilateral Ties
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani met with his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez Laya in Madrid on Monday to boost bilateral ties and discuss joint efforts against coronavirus and the post-pandemic period.
The Ministers welcomed the high dynamics of the recent cooperation between Georgia and the Kingdom of Spain, which was reflected in the current visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to Madrid.
"The parties highlighted the importance of close coordination between partners and the international community, in general, to overcome the crisis caused by the global pandemic, and expressed readiness to continue close coordination in this direction.
"The importance of access to the COVID-19 vaccine was emphasized. The Spanish Foreign Minister announced the Spanish "Solidarity Plan", which will support the equal distribution of the vaccine to the international community. In this regard, the EU approach to redistributing the vaccine to partner countries was reiterated.
Speaking about bilateral relations, the Ministers welcomed the close partnership between Georgia and Spain. Spain's strong support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity was reiterated. The conversation also touched upon the process of Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
The Minister briefed his counterpart on the decision of the Government of Georgia to prepare an application for EU membership in 2024, as well as Georgia's goals for physical integration with the EU, the Initiative for Connectivity and integration into the European single market.
Talks focused on the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit and Georgia's vision for the outcome of the Summit. The ministers emphasized the need to deepen economic ties between the two countries, which is particularly important in terms of stimulating the economy amid a global pandemic.
"Davit Zalkaliani invited his colleague to visit Georgia," the Georgian Foreign Ministry said in their statement.
By Ana Dumbadze