What is Georgia’s foreign policy?
Integration with West, economic relations with East

The Government of Georgia will do its best for the international spotlight to always be on the ongoing creeping occupation of Georgian land, says the country’s new Foreign Minister.

Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is today hosting an annual Ambassadorial event where high officials and diplomatic corps serving abroad are summing up the priorities of the country’s foreign and domestic policies.

Newly appointed Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said Georgia's foreign policy priorities remained unchanged as they were determined not by any government but by the free will of the nation.

Kvirikashvili, former Economy Minister who yesterday was reshuffled into this new role, said: "In our work the greatest importance will be attached to the protection of [Georgia’s] sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

Georgia’s top diplomat also said the country’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration intentions remained unchanged and a key priority of the Government but his team would also try its best use new opportunities in other continents too, including Eurasia.

Meanwhile Russia-Georgia relations were also discussed at today’s event. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said there was no other way forward but through "peaceful dialogue” and "pragmatic policy” with Russia.

"It is very important for our Government to maintain the pragmatic policy we have towards our neighbours, including Russia,” Garibashvili said.

"I believe a peaceful dialogue and pragmatic policy has no alternative.”

The Foreign Minister also said "despite problems, we continued [our] pragmatic policy towards Russia”.

Kvirikashvili added political and security issues with Russia would be discussed in the Geneva Talks format, while "special representatives” would continue working in humanitarian and economic directions.

Deepening Georgia’s "strategic partnership” with Azerbaijan and Turkey as well as maintaining "traditional friendly” relations with Armenia were also stressed today.

Kvirikashvili said overall the focus of Georgia’s foreign policy would be on "economic diplomacy”, new export markets and new investments.