Georgia’s Foreign Minister: “Our ambition is to make Georgia a full member of the EU”

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze has given an interview with German Diplomatisches Magazin, where he spoke about Georgia-German close ties, importance of Georgia’s European integration, Georgia-Russia relations and similar. 

In the interview Janelidze stressed that relations between the EU and Georgia "have been significantly intensified” during the last years, especially following the signing and later (on July 1st 2016) entering into force of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). 

With the conclusion of the Association Agreement, Georgia moved to a qualitatively new level of relations with the European Union, as it allows political association and economic integration with the EU,” Janelidze stated. 

Janelidze stressed Georgia-EU relations have intensified. Photo by Foreign Ministry press office. 

Our ambition is to make Georgia a full member of the EU,” the Minister stressed and highlighted that the country has carried out a range of democratic reforms to be in full line with European standards. 

In the interview Janelidze stressed Georgia’s role in the international peacekeeping missions and Georgia-Germany close partnership within NATO. 

He also stated that from economic point of view "Georgia offers excellent opportunities to German companies and more potential to bilateral economic ties.” 

Nowadays, the Georgian-German relations have been growing dynamically and are marked by cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, energy, defence and security, culture, education, science, healthcare, active partnership with leading political foundations and thinktanks of Germany et cetera,” Janelidze stated. 

When it came to Georgia Russia relations the Minister said that Georgia is very much interested to have good neighbourly relations with the Russian Federation. 

But, this is just possible on the basis of full respect of the sovereignty and independence of Georgia, and not, if Russia continues to occupy 20 per cent of Georgia’s territory, having turned both historic regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, into Russian military basis in violation of the 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement,” Janelidze stated. 

He said that "it was clear Russia used the same methods” in Georgia and Ukraine. 

See the full version of the interview here.