EU’s Mogherini: Georgia has done "remarkable" work towards visa liberalisation

EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini received Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze. Photo from www.ec.europa.eu

Agenda.ge, 24 Jun 2016 - 11:55, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgia and the European Union (EU) have signed an important agreement that will see the two sides tighten their security cooperation.

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini signed the Agreement on Security Procedures for Exchanging and Protecting Classified Information in Brussels yesterday.

NEWs PHOTO: @FedericaMog received @JanelidzeMkh, #Georgia's Foreign Minister More: https://t.co/X2YgZct2E0 pic.twitter.com/1ICdnCusM1
— EC AV Services (@EC_AVService) June 23, 2016

After the deal was signed Mogherini praised Georgia and stressed the country deserved visa liberalisation with the EU.

I want to say what I said on visa liberalisation on Monday after the Foreign Affairs Council. I think I was as clear as I could be on behalf of all the 28 member states,” she said.

We find the work Georgia has done in this field remarkable and now the decision is up to the Council. From the Commission’s side the recommendation is clear, all benchmarks are fulfilled. So we are looking forward for that to come into action.”

Mogherini underlined the "remarkable partnership” she had with the President, Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Georgia.

She also touched upon the upcoming Parliamentary Elections in October and expressed hope that after the elections the relations between the EU and Georgia would remain as good as they were now.

Thanks to @FedericaMog for her continuous support to #Georgia. Georgia is proud to be a reliable partner for #EU pic.twitter.com/3kfVCWf9wZ
— Mikheil Janelidze (@JanelidzeMkh) June 23, 2016

In a statement Georgia's Foreign Minister said the agreement signed yesterday would bring Georgia closer to the EU's informational security standards and it would also increase the efficiency of the country's participation in EU peacekeeping missions.

Following the signing ceremony a bilateral meeting was held where Janelidze and Mogherini discussed various aspects of Georgia’s cooperation with the EU.