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Estonian President: “Georgia is our priority partner”

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili welcomed Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid in Tbilisi today. Photo: President Margvelashvili’s press office.
Agenda.ge, 31 Oct 2017 - 17:36, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgia is a priority partner for Estonia, the latter will spare no efforts to contribute to advancing Georgia-EU relations as the EU Council presidency holder-country, says the President of Estonia.

Kersti Kaljulaid spoke these words standing beside Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili at a joint press conference today in Tbilisi, where she is paying her first state visit.

"I met with President Margvelashvili to reassure our strong support to Georgia's territorial integrity as well as aspirations towards NATO and the European Union,” Kaljulaid said.

Prior to the press conference, the two presidents signed a joint declaration devoted to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Georgia-Estonia diplomatic relations. By signing the document, they pledged to push forward bilateral relations.

Margvelashvili said that next year is a special year for both countries as it marks the 100th anniversary since Georgia and Estonia gained their independence. Georgia will celebrate the occasion on May 26, 2018, and Margvelashvili asked Kaljulaid to be there to join the celebration.

Earlier today the two presidents held a face-to-face meeting where they spoke about Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Margvelashvili stressed that Kaljulaid actively raises the topic of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while addressing all relevant forums.

At the meeting, Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration process was also discussed. As stated, the NATO Summit of 2018 will be a great opportunity for Georgia to demonstrate the country’s political progress in the NATO integration process.

"The parties have come up with concrete and coordinated steps to prepare for the NATO and Eastern Partnership summits,” the President’s press office said.

Today’s meeting also stressed that Georgia contributes to the protection of global peace and security and that currently the country is involved in various peacekeeping missions.

Kaljulaid said that before its full membership to the EU and NATO, Georgia has to go through a preparation period, which is a good opportunity for the country to undertake important reforms.

"Georgia will remain committed to reforms to empower democratic values and freedoms, first of all needed for the Georgian people, not for others,” she wrote on Twitter.

Kaljulaid also stressed that she is concerned about the fate of the people living in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions as their fundamental human rights are violated on a daily basis. She added that while in Georgia, she will visit the occupation line to see the situation and meet the locals who face the Russian occupation.

"Not only the destiny of Georgia and Ukraine was put on stake in 2008 and 2014. The whole international value-based security architecture was challenged,” she said.

Tomorrow, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and President Kaljulaid will open a Georgian-Estonian Business forum.

Kaljulaid will wrap up her visit on November 2.