Parliament Speaker: “Faster” Euro-Atlantic integration is the only way to protect Georgia’s sovereignty

The Speaker of Georgia’s Parliament believes the situation in Georgia’s breakaway regions is "frozen” and the only way to secure the country’s independence and security is to quicken Georgia’s integration into EU and NATO structures.

Davit Usupashvili is on a working visit to France and delivered a speech at the International Diplomatic Academy of France in Paris yesterday.

Georgia has a historical connection with the academy - the co-founders of the Academy were members of the first Government of Georgia; Evgeni Gegechkori and Akaki Chkhenkeli.

In his speech, Usupashvili spoke about foreign political directions and the situation in the region and answered questions, mainly concerning the Ukraine crisis, Georgia-Russia relations and the European course of Georgia.

"For us the next step should be even faster integration [to] the European Union and NATO,” he said.

"We came here with the message that Georgia is and will remain a reliable and predictable partner for the democratic world,” he said.

"We are ready to be flexible and we are ready to be patient. The only thing we are not ready for is if the democratic world forgets about Georgia as it unfortunately happened in 1921 [when newly independent Georgia was invaded by the Bolshevik Red Army],” he said.

Usupashvili said the situation was "frozen” in Georgia’s breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the only possible option for Georgia to secure its independence and security was "faster” integration into EU and NATO structures.

Later, the meeting with the speaker of the National Assembly of France Usupashvili announced French President Francois Hollande would visit Georgia next week.

The meeting was attended by diplomatic corps, researches in Eastern Europe, French Members of Parliament, journalists, Georgian Diaspora and students of the Academy.

Meanwhile, within his official visit Usupashvili already met French National Assembly Speaker Claude Bartolone in Paris. He is scheduled to hold further talks with the Speaker of the Senate Jean-Pierre Bel.