PM Kvirikashvili holds meetings at Munich Security Conference

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili is attending the Munich Security Conference which began today.

Prior to the opening of the 53rd Conference, PM Kvirikashvili met with various high-ranking officials from numerous countries.

Kvirikashvili thanked the Foreign Minister of the Slovak Republic Miroslav Laichak for the support in the EU-Georgia visa liberalisation process and expressed readiness to learn more of the Slovak experience in the area of European integration.

The upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit was also in focus at the discussion. Taking place in Brussels in November 2017, the summit promises to "discuss the way forward in further strengthening cooperation between partner countries and the EU as well as among other partners”.

Created by the European Union in 2009, the Eastern Partnership seeks to bring Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine closer to the EU without offering membership.

The two ministers also discussed Kvirikashvili’s visit to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava where he will participate in the Global Security Forum in May.

Kvirikashvili also introduced the Government of Georgia’s four-point reform agenda, which includes new tax benefits, infrastructure plans, governance reforms and an overhaul of the education system.

Met president #Kaljulaid at #MSC2017. #Estonia as future president country @EUCouncil is ready to assist #Georgia's European aspirations pic.twitter.com/2LzBO8vRGc

— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) 17 February 2017

The newly-elected Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid said her country, as the upcoming president of the Council of the European Union in July-December 2017, declared full support to Georgia on its path towards European integration and expressed readiness to provide assistance to Georgia in this direction.

At the meeting the parties agreed to continue positive dynamics of cooperation. PM Kvirikashvili welcomed the fact that support to Eastern Partnership is among Estonia’s priorities.

Meeting with the Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, PM Kvirikashvili welcomed strengthening of cooperation with the Arab states in recent years, in particular in diplomatic and economic directions. Stressing the necessity for further advancing trade-economic ties, Kvirikashvili invited Aboul-Gheit to Georgia.

#MSC2017 will begin at 2.30 pm. Here's our agenda: https://t.co/hnEJixvdJgpic.twitter.com/KaQfNTjxWJ

— Security Conference (@MunSecConf) 17 February 2017

Kvirikashvili departed for Germany yesterday to attend the Munich Security Conference from February 17-19.

Per its official website, this year's conference agenda focuses on the future of transatlantic relations and NATO after the election of Donald Trump as the US President; the state of European cooperation in security and defense matters; relations with Russia as well as the war in Syria; the security situation in the Asia-Pacific and information warfare.