Georgia’s Kvirikashvili Holds High Level Meetings at UN
NEW YORK - Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has held several bilateral meetings, including with Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, before the start of the 71st session of the UN’s General Assembly in New York.
Steinmeier said following the meeting that Georgia is a leader among the EU’s Eastern Partnership Countries following its successful implementation of Visa Liberalization Action Plan.
Kvirikashvili and Steinmeier also discussed new prospects for bilateral cooperation between the two countries as well as Georgia’s goal of full European and Euro-Atlantic integration, as well as the Georgian government’s Four Point Plan – a new state-sponsored initiative that covers economic development, infrastructure, education and governance reforms.
Georgia’s delegation formally requested that Germany sends poll monitors for the upcoming October 8 parliamentary elections. To further drive home Georgia’s commitment to hold free elections, Kvirikashvili assured Steinmeier that the elections would be transparent and democratic, and fully comply with both EU and international standards.
Following his meeting with Steinmeier, Kvirikashvili met Dana Hyde, the executive director of US government foreign aid agency the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
The two sides discussed the importance of MCC’s project to develop Georgia’s human capital to halt country’s crippling loss of its young professionals.
At a joint meeting with Moldova’s Prime Minister Pavel Filip, Kvirikashvali announced that he would travel to Moldova on an official visit later this year.
Filip and Kvirikashvili both expressed their readiness to deepen bilateral relations further and agreed to hold the inaugural meeting of their joint Inter-Governmental Economic Commission early next year.
The Moldovan delegations expressed their keen interest in gaining insight and expert advice from Georgia regarding the successful implementation of reforms.
Prior holding official meetings, Georgia’s PM attended the Atlantic Council's Global Citizen Awards at the American Museum of Natural History.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, World Economic Forum founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab and around 500 guests from all around the world also attended the gala event.
Kvirikashvili later attended the opening of UN General Assembly.
The General Assembly will close on September 26.
By Thea Morrison
Edited by Nicholas Waller