Georgian president sums up her 1st working visit abroad, says meetings in Brussels were positive
President Salome Zurabishvili met with the EU and NATO officials in Brussels. Photo: President’s press office.
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has summed up her first official visit abroad, in Brussels, and stated that her meetings with top EU and NATO figures were “very positive.”
The EU and NATO are ready to take steps to further deepen cooperation with Georgia. Everyone has a very friendly attitude to our country,” she stated today.
Zurabishvili said that she did not hear “any warnings” regarding the suspension of the EU-Georgia visa free agreement.
However, this does not mean that we should stop working. This means that the Georgian people should have a very responsible attitude toward this issue,” Zurabishvili said.
The video was posted by the press office of the European Council President Donald Tusk.
Zurabishvili said that EU and NATO officials expressed their concern regarding the closure of so-called borders by occupying forces and stated that they were ready to push forward the issue during their bilateral meetings with Russian government members.
Zurabishvili launched her visit in Brussels with a meeting with Georgian students and diaspora members and stated that the Georgian diaspora should have a representative in the Georgian parliament.
European Council President Donald Tusk and Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili agreed to further intensify cooperation between Georgia and the EU. Tusk said that the EU-Georgia partnership is ‘outstanding and far-reaching’.
The European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker told Georgian President Zurabishvili that her first official visit to EU headquarters was “symbolic,” revealing the will of the Georgian people to be with the EU. Zurabishvili invited Juncker to Georgia to participate in the Batumi Conference dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership.
At yesterday's conf. with @jensstoltenberg, I stated that we're actively engaged in the issue of #BlackSea security. It's extremely important for us that the Black Sea be a sea of #stability, #security, that unites Georgia with Europe and our partners on the other side of the sea pic.twitter.com/Y4P2lbQKcG
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) January 24, 2019
Zurabishvili and Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament, discussed challenges facing the European Union, prospects for development of Georgia-EU relations, and Georgia’s European aspirations.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that he will visit Georgia in March, this year, during the NATO-Georgia large-scale military drills. He said that no other country has a right to oppose the decision of Georgia to become the NATO member.
The current situation in the two occupied regions of Georgia Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) was in focus of a meeting held between Zurabishvili and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.
Meeting w/ new President of #Georgia, @Zourabichvili_S, during her first foreign trip to #Brussels.Very interesting exchange on presidency priorities as well as #Georgia’s opportunities and challenges.#EU stands ready support #Georgia w/reforms+resilience building efforts. pic.twitter.com/SpV2VT7wCD
— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) January 22, 2019
Zurabishvili met with EU Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos, when it was stated that EU will encourage its member states to sign deals with Georgia regarding the temporary working migration.
Zurabishvili and the EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn stated that 2019 is an important year in the EU-Georgian relations.
On the final day of the visit Zurabishvili attended the NATO-Georgia Commission meeting and stated that "I have seen a very positive attitude towards Georgia at the meeting".