Georgia’s Foreign Minister meets Vanuatu’s PM

Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with Vanuatu’s Prime Minister at the United Nations Human Rights Council 25th session in Geneva today.

Georgia’s Maia Panjikidze and Moana Kalosil stressed their desire to develop friendly relations and way to mutually benefit from cooperation in various fields, the Ministry’s Press Centre announced.

This is the first speech Panjikidze has made at the Human Rights Council, which is attended by heads of Government and Foreign Ministers from a range of countries.

The Human Rights Council 25th session began on March 3 and will last for two days.

In May 2011 Vanuatu officially recognized Abkhazia as an independent region but retracted its statement shortly after the change of Government in early June, 2011. Since then one local official reportedly reaffirmed the country’s recognition of Abkhazia.

In late June 2011, Vanuatu was among the nations who voted in favor of Georgia-sponsored and Russian-opposed resolution in the UN General Assembly reaffirming the right of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Despite this, in April 2012 Russia listed Vanuatu as one of a handful of countries who recognized Abkhazia.

In March 2013, Vanuatu’s Foreign Ministry denied setting up diplomatic ties with the breakaway region.

Apart from Russia, Georgia’s breakaway regions (Abkhazia and South Ossetia) are recognized by Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Tuvalu.

Below see the video of the meeting.