Georgian Foreign Minister Holds Meetings in Moldova

During his official visit to Moldova, Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze met with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the European Integration Andrei Galbur on July 10.

Janelidze noted that his official visit to Moldova coincides with the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

Both sides spoke about the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries, highlighting the increasing level of co-operation in the defense, justice, customs, agriculture sectors.

The two ministers focused on the importance of holding the first inter-governmental economic commission and business forum in April of 2017, which is sure to give a fresh impetus to the bilateral trade-economic cooperation reported to have increased by 60% in the first quarter of 2017.

They also underlined the importance of activating people-to-people contacts which will be strengthened further by the signing of a memorandum of co-operation on the matter of tourism between the two countries.

As part of the meeting, the two ministers signed postage stamps issued to mark the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Mikheil Janelidze then invited his Moldovan counterpart to Georgia.

Prospects for further co-operation between the two countries were on the agenda of talks between the Georgian Foreign Minister and the Moldovan Prime Minister, Pavel Filip.

Both sides spoke about the increasing level of relations between the two countries, focusing on the importance of holding the first inter-governmental economic commission and political consultations between the foreign ministries of Georgia and Moldova.

Special attention was paid to the possibility of expanding trade-economic relations. Both welcomed the growth of trade between the two countries as well as Moldova’s rising interest in Georgia’s tourism potential.

The Moldovan Prime Minister expressed his interest in benefiting from Georgia’s experience in successful reforms in the sectors of public administration, civil services and tax systems.

During his visit to Moldova, Georgian Foreign Minister Janelidze met with the Moldovan President Andrian Candu.

Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze also participated in the 9th Eastern Partnership Informal Dialogue Session hosted by Moldova.

The meeting addressed the necessary subjects for the preparation of the Eastern Partnership Summit which is to be held on November 24 in Brussels.

The event was attended by the European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Jean-Christophe Belliard, as well as the Foreign Ministers of Eastern Partnership countries.

By Thea Morrison