Georgian Foreign Minister Pays First Official Visit to Liechtenstein

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Mikheil Janelidze paid an official visit to the Principality of Liechtenstein where he held meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Culture of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Aurelia Frick, and the Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein with governing powers, Alois. This is the first official visit to the Principality of Liechtenstein from Georgia.

During the meetings held in Vaduz, the sides discussed various areas of bilateral relations highlighting the great potential of co-operation in economy, tourism, regional development and education.

The Georgian Foreign Minister provided his colleague with information regarding the priority areas of the Four-Point Reform Plan initiated by the Prime Minister, and Georgia’s short-term objectives in this direction. Frick expressed her interest in sharing Liechtenstein’s experience with Georgia in many areas, including education, vocational training, and regional development. Liechtenstein’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Culture highly appreciated the already implemented and ongoing reforms in Georgia, especially the introduction of electronic services – an innovative tool offered to the citizens of Georgia.

The sides underlined the importance of economic co-operation, stating the belief that the Free Trade Agreement between Georgia and the European Free Trade Association due to be signed during the Georgian Prime Minister’s forthcoming visit to the Swiss Confederation will serve as an essential pre-requisite for the further deepening of this co-operation. The Georgian Foreign Minister reaffirmed his readiness to host Liechtenstein’s business delegation in Tbilisi.

The Georgian delegation expressed its gratitude for Liechtenstein’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. Both sides reaffirmed the increasing level of positive co-operation within international multilateral formats.

The sides spoke about the need to hold regular consultations between Georgia and Liechtenstein and the importance of exchanging high-level visits. Mikheil Janelidze invited Minister Frick for an official visit to Georgia.

As part of his visit to Vaduz, Mikheil Janelidze met the Governing Prince of Liechtenstein, Alois. Both expressed their readiness to contribute to the development of relations between Georgia and Liechtenstein.

Diplomatic relations between Georgia and Liechtenstein were established in 1992. In 2015, the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein signed a Convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital.

Katie Ruth Davies