Georgia’s FM discusses European security in US

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili has spoken at the Atlantic Council’s conference titled Toward a Transatlantic Strategy for Europe’s East in Washington, the United States (US) yesterday.

The Atlantic Council - one of the world’s most influential analytical centres - brought together the region's leaders, decision-makers from both sides of the Atlantic and top experts to spotlight what was at stake and galvanise support for a reenergised Eastern Partnership policy.

The conference served as a public launch of Latvia's EU Presidency in Washington, anchored by Edgars Rinkevics, Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Beruchashvili, jointly with Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia and Poland, the Deputy FM of Ukraine and other officials, participated in the Toward a Europe Whole and Free program.

In her speech, the Georgian FM talked about the challenges the world faced and said "the modern world has witnessed a violation of the fundamental principles of international law and European security architecture”.

While talking about the situation in the region, Beruchashvili said Euro-Atlantic integration was the guarantee of Georgia’s security and its democratic development.

"For Georgians this is a national idea and historical choice, which is supported by the overwhelming majority of the population and political elite,” she said.

Beruchashvili also talked about Georgia’s recent progress in the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

Similarly, she highlighted the recent situation in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions and said Russia’s "destructive policy” aimed at annexation of the Georgian territories.

"[What happened in Ukraine] is a part of Russia's scenario of widening its domination in the region and creating new so-called spheres of influence,” Beruchahsvili said.

"We all are getting punished for our choice, for our sovereign European and Euro-Atlantic choice.”

Beruchashvili also talked about the goals Georgia had regarding the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga. She said she hoped, despite the challenges the Eastern Partnership countries faced, the Riga Summit would bring "concrete results” and for Georgia, this result would be "a proper reflection of the progress in Georgia’s visa-liberalisation process”.