Georgian Foreign Minister: “Eastern Partnership important for EU’s security”
Tweet 
Share
The Eastern Partnership countries play a significant role in ensuring the economic, energetic and physical security of the European Union, says Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze.
Janelidze participated in a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Visegrad Group (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) and Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) in Budapest today.
Preparations for the Eastern Partnership’s November summit as well as its future were the central points of the meeting.
Meeting participants discussed preparations for the fifth Eastern Partnership summit, scheduled for 24 November 2017 in Brussels, and the Eastern Partnership’s current condition and future policies, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.
Thankful 2 #Hungarian Presidency of #Visegrad Group 4hosting 2day's #V4#EaP countries mtg&giving us opport.2discuss future of Eastern Partn pic.twitter.com/sDOL7ZX9UC
— MFA of Georgia (@MFAgovge) August 31, 2017
"Georgia is committed to the Eastern Partnership. It is our joint project and a framework of diverse opportunities. The cooperation between the Eastern Partnership and the European Union is not a one-way road”, Janelidze said at a press conference following the meeting.
He also talked about the importance of EU integration for Georgia and stressed that tomorrow is the third anniversary since Georgia’s EU Association Agreement came into force.
"The Eastern Partnership gave a lot to us. The process of political association and economic integration with the EU is being implemented successfully; Georgian products are finding their place in the European market; the EU has become the number one trade partner for Georgia; there is an increasing dynamic in investments; Georgian citizens can move within the Schengen Zone visa-free; Georgia has become a member of the Energy Union”, Janelidze said.
He added that he believes such a level of integration with the EU will give Georgia more opportunities.
"Our ultimate goal is, of course, eventual membership in the European Union”, he added.
Apart from Eastern Partnership and Visegrad Group foreign ministers, Peter Szijjarto, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, also hosted Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser and Johannes Hahn, European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner.
Meetings of foreign ministers of the Visegrad Group and Eastern Partnership are traditionally held during each presidency of the Visegrad Group. The annual presidency of the Visegrad group was taken over by Hungary this July.
Georgian State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Victor Dolidze and Deputy Foreign Minister Vakhtang Makharoblishvili have participated in the Georgia-Moldova-Ukraine trilateral consultations in the field of European integration.
Political directors of the Visegrad Group (V4) Foreign Ministries paid a working visit to Georgia today.
Foreign Ministers of Visegrad Group (V4) reaffirmed their strong support to the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine with a joint statement.
Georgia is an exemplary state within the Eastern Partnership initiative, European Union (EU) officials told Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze today.
The Visegrad Group (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) reaffirms its strong support for the Eastern Partnership and considers it a key factor in the stability of Eastern Europe.
Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze participated in a meeting of foreign ministers from the European Union (EU) Member States and Eastern Partnership countries in Tallinn, Estonia yesterday.
Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldavian foreign ministers, of the countries’ who enjoy association deals with the EU, met in Tallinn, Estonia today to agree on various issues ahead of the planned Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit in Brussels on November 24.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili will take part in the upcoming fifth Eastern Partnership Summit (EaP) in Brussels, Belgium on November 24.
Kvirikashvili has been officially invited by the President of the European Council Donald Tusk, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas.
Vice President of European Parliament Ryszard Czarnecki said Georgia holds an important place in the European family and is an essential part of the European culture, history and civilisation.
Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze has met foreign ministers of Poland and Sweden in Tbilisi, and described the arrival as a "clear signal of support” ahead of the EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit scheduled for November 24.
An official agreement has been signed between Georgian Airways and Bratislava Airport on establishing direct flights that will boost tourism.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze has stated that Georgia has more significant goals with the EU than the association process.
Georgia has welcomed the reinforced defence cooperation of 25 EU states through the establishment of the Permanent Structured Cooperation. Georgian Vice Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze praised the move in a tweet today.