Georgian Foreign Minister Holds High-Rank Meetings in Brussels
During an official visit to Brussels on October 18-19, Georgian Foreign Minister and Vice-Premier Mikheil Janelidze held high-rank meetings with European Parliament Vice-President Ryszard Czarnecki and various Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
During the meeting, expectations for the Eastern Partnership Summit and cooperation with Georgia were actively discussed.
"I think the future Eastern Partnership summit will be the next step forward for Georgia and other countries. We need to open the door of closer cooperation not only in the economic sphere, but on the political level," Czarencki stated.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry reports that the European parliament Vice-President noted that Georgia is an integral part of the European culture, history and civilization.
“We cannot imagine a European political future without Georgia, without the significant place occupied by Georgia in the European political family,” he added.
Janelidze also met with the ‘Friendship Group of Georgia’ in the European Parliament. The Group Chair, Clare Moody, noted that Georgia has made significant progress in many directions, making it a leader in the Eastern Partnership format.
Moody also positively assessed the visit of the Georgian Foreign Minister and noted the special relations with Georgia, reflected in the recommendations of the European Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee.
“Georgia is a recognized leader in the Eastern Partnership countries and we support the progress achieved in different directions such as democratization, judicial reform and economic development. In all these directions, the European Union offers great support for Georgia and we should ensure this support continues in future," she stated.
The meeting was also attended by Friendship Group member Andrejs Mamikins who is a Latvian politician, journalist and an MEP.
Janelidze thanked the MEPs for being an important voice for Georgia in the European Parliament and active members of the Friendship Group.
He also met MEPs: Laima Andrikiene, Sandra Kalniete, and Sajjad Karim, who is the Co-Chair of the EU-Georgia Association Committee, as well as Hans van Baalen, a MEP, who is the ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) party president.
“The Russian Federation should leave the occupied Georgian territories!” van Baalen wrote after his meeting with Janelidze.
During his visit, Janelidze also delivered a speech at the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.
“We have many friends in the European Parliament, and this was first proved when they supported Georgia’s visa-liberalization earlier this year…With such support, we will be able to achieve even more success,” Georgian Foreign Minister stated in summary of his visit.
Thea Morrison