British Foreign Secretary William Hague ends fleeting visit to Georgia

British Foreign Secretary William Hague visited Georgia to support "Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory, its territorial integrity and democratic progress”, said Hague after meeting Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze today.

He arrived in Tbilisi late on Wednesday evening from Ukraine; he also visited Moldova earlier this week. Hague left Georgia this afternoon after he took part in many high-level meetings earlier today.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Georgia's Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze. Photo by FM official website.

His first meeting was with Foreign Minister Panjikidze, followed by President Giorgi Margvelashvili then Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

"Georgia is a valued partner to NATO and I am confident that the summit in Wales will want to recognise the progress that Georgia is making and the work that we all do together,” Hague said after his meetings.

He expressed his "strong appreciation” for Georgia’s contribution to the NATO- led operation in Afghanistan and Georgia’s intention to send troops to the Central African Republic as part of the EU mission.

With his Georgian counterpart Maia Panjikidze, Hague discussed issues facing the region. He also reiterated his support to the early signature of the Association Agreement (AA) between Georgia and the European Union (EU), scheduled for June.

"The United Kingdom (UK) is one of the main players in world politics and it has an important role in international security and welfare. At the same time, Georgia and the United Kingdom have had a multi-year-old friendship and close cooperation,” Panjikidze said at a joint press briefing today.

"I have once again confirmed the readiness of Georgia’s Government to my British counterpart to sign the Association Agreement no later than June. The Association Agreement is the main topic of our country’s European aspiration and the Government of Georgia has already worked out specific steps for this plan,” Panjikidze added.

At the briefing the UK Foreign Secretary said NATO "highly appreciated” Georgia’s contribution to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.

"The country will soon sign the Association Agreement, which provides the potential to increase Georgia’s exports to EU countries. This turnover will probably reach 12 percent a year, therefore, more jobs will be created in Georgia and there will be more opportunities for business development, which will ultimately have a positive effect on your future. I think that we’ll combine our efforts to achieve progress in Wales,” Hague emphasized.

Responding to a question about Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Alasania’s calls for deploying NATO defensive assets in Georgia, the British Foreign Secretary said: "We are in favour, of course, of building up further cooperation between Georgia and NATO. This is already a very important cooperation; I use the example of Afghanistan and I am sure there are many ways in which we can build on this further in ways that add to the security of Georgia as well as strengthen international peace and security.”

Hague said that although some of reforms "may be difficult or sensitive”, these are "the right things to do.”

"These are important not because the European Union or the West asks for these reforms but because they are in the best interests of this country. As well, [they are] part of Georgia’s own desire to consolidate democracy, to strengthen institutions, to increase the competitiveness of the economy, to enhance respect for the rule of law and so we welcome these ambitions.

"Of course debate over these measures is natural in a democracy [and] I welcome the consultative way the Government’s new human rights action plan was drawn up,” Hague said.

Earlier this morning Foreign Secretary Hague met United National Movement (UNM) representatives: Member of Parliament (MP) and leader of the parliamentary minority group Davit Bakradze, MP Giorgi Kandelaki and UNM foreign secretary Giga Bokeria.

British Foreign Secretary met with Georgia's President Giorgi Margvelashvili. Photo by President's official website.

Meanwhile after Hague met Panjikidze he met President Giorgi Margvelashvili. The parties discussed the existing close relations between the UK and Georgia and the prospects to enhance cooperation between the two countries.

President Margvelashvili thanked Hague for Britain’s support of Georgia’s territorial integrity and its path to Euro-Atlantic integration.

Hague spoke with gratitude about the contribution of the Georgian Armed Forces to international missions. He thanked President Margvelashvili for the country’s decision to send Georgian troops to participate in the international peacekeeping mission in Central Africa.

The democratic reforms carried out by the Georgian Government in recent years were also discussed at the meeting.

Hague’s latest meeting today was with Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. The parties discussed bilateral relations between Georgia and the UK, the signing of the AA with the EU and matters related to the NATO summit in Wales.

The Georgian Prime Minister said the British Foreign Minister's visit was a distinct expression of strong support and solidarity towards Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations as well as its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

William Hague’s latest meeting with PM Irakli Alasania, today. Photo by PM's official website.

In response, Hague said the North Atlantic Alliance highly assessed Georgia’s projected course and the country’s participation in international peacekeeping missions.

Hague expressed hope that if all went well, everyone would come together to achieve progress at the NATO summit in Wales.

After meeting Georgia’s head of Government, the UK Foreign Secretary ended his official visit in Georgia and left the country.