PM Kvirikashvili: “Georgia-Greece relations advance to strategic partnership”

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is visiting Tbilisi today on his first ever official state visit to the country.

Kotzias has already meet with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and discussed "increasing bilateral relations” between the two nations.

The PM’s press office later announced that Georgia-Greece relations are advancing to a level of strategic partnership. The office also noted that the pair discussed the possibility of introducing ferry traffic between Georgian and Greek ports.

Another topic discussed was Georgia’s European aspirations.

Honourd to host the Foreign Minister @NikosKotzias of #Greece with his first official visit to #Georgia@GreeceMFApic.twitter.com/SprwzmiXf5

— Mikheil Janelidze (@JanelidzeMkh) March 7, 2017

"We have a very strong advocate of our European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and Greece is it”, Janelidze said, speaking at a joint press conference with Kotzias.

The latter, in his turn, said that Georgian-Greek cooperation is of "strategic importance”.

"We will try to deepen this cooperation in all fields, be it economy, education or science. […] we will receive Georgia into the EU family with open arms”, Kotzias said.

He added that he believes Georgia "belongs to Europe”.

Kotzias will meet Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili too before leaving for Armenia tomorrow.

Greeks have an ancient past in Georgia, perhaps dating back as far as the 7th century BCE. As of the 2002, there were between 15,000 - 20,000 Pontic Greeks in Georgia.