Association Agreement: Georgia’s main achievement in 2013

"The result we received at the Vilnius Summit is one of the most important successes that Georgia has achieved in 2013. Georgian Foreign Affairs Minister Maia Panjikidze made this statement at her press conference summing up the past year.

The EU

Initialing the Association Agreement with the EU was the key issue of Panjikidzes presentation. She started talking about it by welcoming the recent statement by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.

Georgia initialed the Association Agreement (AA) and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the EU at the Eastern Partnership Summit (EaP) in Vilnius on November 28. It was said that it will be finally signed in September 2014, but on December 20, Rompuy said that the EU is eager to speed up the signing by August, 2014 "at the latest.

"Georgia has stated many times that we are also eager to sign the document as soon as possible, Panjikidze said.

She also predicted that the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement will give an unprecedented opportunity to the Georgian economy. "Opening the biggest trade market for our country will encourage local and international companies to invest in Georgia, Maia Panjikidze said.

She also said that the AA is important for Georgian citizens in regard to simplifying visa regime.

"The goodness of initialing the AA with the EU should be felt by every single Georgian citizen, the Minister said.

 Georgian Foreign Affairs Minister Maia Panjikidze; Photo from the Minister's official Facebook page

Relations with Russia

Another important issue discussed at the press conference was the Georgian-Russian relations.

Relations with Russia are not going to be normalized at the expense of Georgias strategic interests and its territorial unity.  However, the Georgian side welcomes any effort from Russia that helps to stabilize relations between the two countries, according to the Georgian Minister.

"Georgia has abolished the visa regime with Russia for a long time already. And this step by Russia, if it actually is made, will be a response to our earlier action, Panjikidze said while commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putins statement about possible visa-free regime with Georgia.

 Barb-wiring in the breakaway region of South Ossetia; Photo by AFP

In regard to Georgian-Russian relations, Maia Panjikidze also said that it would be nicer if Russia had responded to one more Georgian gesture and take the responsibility to use of non-violence. Russia once again openly refused this responsibility during the Geneva talks on December 17-18.

"Because of this reality, during the Geneva discussions, the Georgian delegation representatives stressed the importance of creating the international mechanisms of security in the occupied regions, Panjikidze said, adding that the human rights need to be more protected near the administrative line.

After initiating the Association Agreement with the EU, Maia Panjikidze does not except provocations from Russia. She says that the Ukrainian example is also worth remembering.

"Talking about the provocations from Russia, we had the examples of this in the past year too, Panjikidze said, referring to the barb-wiring activities along the occupational line in the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

The Foreign Minister said that Georgia had always been calm and it will not let the situation to be escalated.

  Minister Maia Panjikidze presenting an annual report; Photo from the Minister's official Facebook page

Other issues

Maia Panjikidze also talked about the NATO-Georgia relations during the past year. The Foreign Minister said that the Alliance positively assessed Georgias Annual National Program. She also expressed her expectations that the progress that Georgia has shown in 2013 will be properly appreciated at the NATO summit next year.

The Minister said that Georgia is trying to expand its diplomatic coverage area and establish relations with the Middle East, Arab world, Africa, Asia and Pacific regions.