Georgian Parliament Speaker Meets His Ukrainian Counterpart
The Georgian Parliament Speaker is paying an official visit to Ukraine, where he met Andriy Parubiy, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada.
The meeting took place on January 17 in Kyiv; the key issues discussed were inter-parliamentary coordination, cooperation in various fields and regional developments.
While discussing regional issues, both sides agreed to have close cooperation, including within international formats.
The conversation touched upon the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the two countries.
The sides reaffirmed their unwavering support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Georgia and Ukraine.
After the face-to-face meeting, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia and his counterpart made joint statements to the press.
According to Kobakhidze, the Georgian and Ukrainian people have a special friendship. He thanked the Ukrainians for supporting Georgia.
“I want to thank our Ukrainian friends for their steadfast support for our sovereignty and territorial integrity throughout the years,” he stated.
Kobakhidze added that Georgia condemns annexation of Crimea and Russia’s illegal actions in the eastern region of Ukraine.
“Our countries have common goals and challenges. It is very important to unite our efforts to respond to these challenges and achieve our goals. Our common aim is to join the EU and NATO, and it is particularly important to unite our joint efforts in this regard,” Georgian Parliament Speaker said.
Furthermore, Kobakhidze added that despite political cooperation, it is important to boost economic relations.
“We work hard to enhance our country's economic resources and strategic function of transit,” he added.
While delivering his speech, Andriy Parubiy said this year Georgia and Ukraine mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of independence and diplomatic relations.
“The main challenge for our countries is Russia. We know the consequences of Russian aggression and in this regard, we attach great importance to the development of regional cooperation,” he noted.
Parubiy also said he believes Georgia and Ukraine will become EU members in the near future.
Georgian Parliament Speaker will also meet the Ukrainian President and Prime Minister during his visit.
By Thea Morrison