UK Foreign Secretary: “Georgia’s a democratic role model in the region”

The United Kingdom (UK) has not forgotten that Georgia’s conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain unresolved, says a top British diplomat.

The UK’s Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is visiting Georgia today to meet with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and show support for Georgia and its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

The leaders will meet at 3pm (Tbilisi time) before speaking to media at a joint press conference.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Hammond said: "The UK is committed to Georgia as a valued international security partner and democratic role model in the region.”

"The bilateral relationship is strong and we welcome their progress in implementing economic and political reforms as they aspire towards closer relations with the EU and NATO.”

Hammond touched on one of the country’s biggest ongoing problems – its territorial integrity and Russian occupation of Georgian land.

"We have not forgotten that the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain unresolved. The UK is committed to supporting Georgia’s independence and territorial integrity,” the British diplomat said.

"The UK has always been clear that countries like Georgia should be able to make their own sovereign choices about their futures, free from outside interference.”

Meanwhile the UK is taking a leading role to help resolve Georgia’s conflicts by contributing around £3 million per year to conflict resolution work through its one of the largest programs – the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.

The UK official also noted 2016 marked the 25th year of Georgia’s independence. About this fact he said: "We hope and expect that elections in October will exemplify all the democratic progress that has been achieved in the years since independence.”

During his visit the UK Foreign Secretary will have talks with several other Georgian high officials including members of the Georgian Government and the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament. He will also lay a wreath at Heroes Square at the memorial of fallen heroes in capital Tbilisi.

Hammond will attend the Young Politicians Forum that will bring together future leaders from the South Caucasus region.

The Foreign Secretary will then visit the construction site of the BP’s South Caucasus pipeline expansion, which along with the Shah Deniz 2 project, will bring a significant investment of £20 billion to the region as well as several hundred jobs to the Georgian economy.