Georgian President Meets UK PM Cameron and US Senator McCain at Slovakia Conference
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili visited the Slovakian capital city of Bratislava to participate in the annual Global Security Forum held on June 19-21.
President Margvelashvili, during the visit, held meetings with leaders of European countries, US Senators and participated in the Georgian-Slovak Business Forum.
“We managed to raise the Georgian issue. World leaders held in-depth discussion about our country’s security guarantees,” noted the president adding: “We had the opportunity to discuss security issues with the leaders of NATO founding countries, such as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the United States Senators. We also talked to new members of the alliance.”
The Georgian President addressed participants of the forum at the session dedicated to security concerns in the Eastern Partnership countries: “Fluctuation Zone: EU Neighborhood Strategy”.
He focused on the situation in the occupied territories, the importance of Georgia’s geopolitical role for Europe and the significance of security of Eastern Partnership countries for the safety of Europe, paying special attention to the threats in the region and Russia’s neighbourhood policy.
“Russian politicians send a clear message about their attitude to neighbouring countries. They regard the countries as their “territorial property” where they are authorised to use military force,” the President noted, adding that such a policy brings nothing positive to either Russia or the region. “If there is any tension in Russia’s neighboring countries, we may think that it will turn into a big problem,” he warned.
Margvelashvili also held a bilateral meeting with the British Prime Minister David Cameron.
According to the Presidential Administration, Cameron expressed his condolences to the people of Georgia affected by the flood tragedy of June 13.
The Administration also claimed the sides discussed close political and economic co-operation and perspectives between the two countries: “The President of Georgia thanked the British PM for supporting Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as non-recognition of the occupied territories.”
Cameron is said to have pledged support in the implementation of the NATO substantial package and European integration: “The position of the United Kingdom over inadmissibility of the so-called “contracts” between the Russian Federation and the occupation regimes of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were emphasized at the meeting.”
As Georgia is the largest non-NATO member in terms of contribution to the international peace keeping missions including Afghanistan, Margvelashvili and Cameron discussed the security environment in the region and worldwide.
Along with the British PM, Margvelashvili also met with the US Senator John McCain attending the GLOBSEC forum.
Focusing on successful cooperation within the Georgia-US Charter, issues of global security and the importance of Georgia’s participation in NATO-led coalitions were underlined at the meeting. According to McCain, the United States appreciates Georgia’s contribution to international missions.
The Georgian President thanked John McCain for supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and non-recognition policy, as well as its European and North Atlantic integration process and officially invited him for the annual Ambassadorial due to be held in September in Tbilisi.
Steven Jones