Closer ties between Georgia-Ukraine beneficial, say officials

High officials from Georgia and Ukraine have met in Prague and agree there is large potential for the countries to intensify current bilateral relations.

The foreign ministers of Georgia and Ukraine said a deeper partnership would lead to both countries enjoying stronger relations with the European Union (EU).

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin met in the capital of the Czech Republic on the sideline of the Foreign Ministerial of the Visegrad Group and Eastern Partnership (EaP) states.

Janelidze and Klimkin agreed there was potential to develop bilateral economic and trade ties, and this would be beneficial for both nations and help the countries develop their economic partnerships with the EU.

The officials also agreed to intensify meetings and discuss issues important for both nations more frequently.

Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs attended a ministerial in Prague yesterday. Photo by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At the meeting Janelidze reiterated Georgia supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The meeting was held on the sideline of the Foreign Ministerial of the Visegrad Group and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) states. The conference was attended by EU officials including EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, members of the Visegrad Group and representatives of EaP states.

The Ministerial highlighted the positive efforts of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova in the EaP format towards EU integration. Members of the Visegrad Group, comprising of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, voiced support for these nations on their way towards Europe.

Participants of the ministerial said they appreciated Georgia’s big achievements regarding the Georgia-EU Association Agreement and implementation of its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP).

Visegrad group #V4 expressed full support towards 3 #EaP countries' #EU integration process #Georgia#Moldova#Ukraine

— Mikheil Janelidze (@JanelidzeMkh) May 4, 2016

The group said they supported Georgia quick gaining of visa-free travel in the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone.

Janelidze and the Georgian delegation respected the Visegrad Group’s support and stressed the importance of a special fund within the group that supported EaP nations to carry out democratic reforms.

The Georgian official also spoke about the situation in Georgia’s de facto regions Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and underlined Russia’s continued occupying activities on Georgian soil.

• The Visegrad Group, also called the Visegrad Four (or V4), is an alliance of four Central European states – Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – for the purposes of furthering their European integration, as well as for advancing military, economic and energy cooperation with one another.
• The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint initiative involving the EU, its 28 member states and six eastern European partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
• EaP is based on a commitment to the principles of international law and fundamental values - democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. It also encompasses support for a market economy, sustainable development and good governance.