Parliament Speaker rubs shoulders with European leaders in Belgium

Belgium has reaffirmed its support towards Georgia’s territorial integrity at a meeting attended by Georgia’s Parliament Speaker and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister yesterday.

Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili travelled to Belgium to participate in the World War I 100th anniversary events along with international high officials.

Usupashvili and Belgium’s Deputy PM Didier Reynders, who was also the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs, spoke about the European Union (EU) Association Agreement and noted that harmonisation of Georgian legislation with European laws was a positive step.

The parties discussed the proposed Russia-Abkhazia ‘Alliance and Integration’ agreement, security issues, the Ukraine crisis and the recent situation in the region. In this context, Reynders once again reaffirmed Belgium’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity.

The officials also spoke about the European neighborhood policy, the Eastern Partnership (EaP) program and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) agreement, which was part of the Georgia-EU Association Agreement.

Next year Belgium will preside over the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Reynders said he would pay particular attention to Georgia-EU integration process and bilateral relations.

While in Belgium, Usupashvili attended the farewell ceremony for chair of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso.

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker represented Georgia at the World War I 100th anniversary events in Belgium after the country’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili had to cancel his Belgium visit and remain in Georgia to host an important National Security Council meeting.