Spanish Foreign Minister in Tbilisi: Politics, football, rugby and wine

Spain declares its interest in Georgia as a regional hub.

Today Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo voiced his country’s strong support for Georgia as he met the country’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili in Tbilisi today.

Spanish Foreign Minister (L) and Georgian Prime Minister meet in Tbilisi on February 29, 2016. Photo by the PM's Press Office.

During his two-day Georgia visit, the Spanish official also met Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili.

At all of the meetings Garcia-Margallo confirmed Spain’s "very firm support” for Georgia’s European integration.

"We have received the guarantee that Spain will be not only a supporter of Georgia’s visa-free travel to the European Union (EU), but also it will be one of the active EU members to support Georgia to get closer to the EU,” Usupashvili said after the meeting.

He also noted Spain, as a NATO member state, played a big role in NATO decision-making process.

Spanish Foreign Minister (L) and Georgian President meet in Tbilisi on February 29, 2016. Photo by the PM's Press Office.

Georgia-Spain bilateral, trade, security, educational and cultural relations were in focus of the meeting between Garcia-Margallo and President Margvelashvili.

While in Tbilisi the Georgian hosts made time to talk about lighter topics with their Spanish guests, such as football, noted Usupashvili.

"We said that the time will come when Georgians will play football as finely as Spaniards and Spaniards will play rugby as finely as Georgians.”

Meanwhile a Georgian wine tasting event hosted by Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze was held in honour of the guests.

The Spanish Foreign Minister tasted Georgian wine while in Georgia. Photo by MFA Press Office.

While in Tbilisi the Spanish Foreign Minister learned about Georgia’s vast wine history and rich culture of making wine, as well as about popular local wines. Garcia-Margallo underlined the "huge potential” of bilateral cooperation in wine-making.