Panjikidze participates in Council of Europe ministerial session

Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Maia Panjikidze is taking part in the 124th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

The annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Council of Europe is being held at the Hofburg in Vienna today, May 6.

The Council of Europe is an intergovernmental organisation which comprises of 47 member states. It was created with the aim to promote human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law in Europe.

The meeting will be chaired by the host country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz, who is also the chairman of the Committee of Ministers.

Numerous topics will be discussed within the session. Georgia will participate in the session titled: The current crisis in Europe.

The official agenda stated within this session, participants would discuss the ongoing developments in Ukraine as well as Georgia being a potential object of threats from Russia.

Before the session began Georgia’s Foreign Minister met Kurz and the officials discussed a wide range of issues of mutual co-operation.

Georgia’s Panjikidze and Austria’s Kurz focused on Georgia's European aspirations, the current situation in Georgia’s occupied territories and the issue of regional security, including the crisis in Ukraine.

At yesterday’s meeting particular emphasis was put on Georgia’s signing of the Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU) and its effective implementation and possibilities of accelerating the introduction of a visa free regime for Georgia.

The Austrian Minister reaffirmed his Government's strong support for Georgia's European aspirations and the country's territorial integrity.

At the end of the meeting it was revealed Kur, would pay an official visit to Georgia later this year.

"Austria’s Foreign Minister will visit Georgia in autumn with a large delegation to attend a big business forum in Georgia,” Panjikidze said.

"Since opening the Austrian Development Agency our relationships has become more intense and closer,” she said.