EU-Georgia Association Council meeting to discuss relations, reform
Relations against the backdrop of Georgia’s EU membership application will be reviewed between the sides, with a focus on political dialogue and reform. Photo: Council of the EU
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The next meeting of the European Union-Georgia Association Council will host discussions on relations between the sides, reforms and sectoral cooperation and more in Brussels on Tuesday, the Council of the EU said on Friday.
Relations against the backdrop of Georgia’s EU membership application will be reviewed between the sides, with a focus on political dialogue and reform.
Economic and sectoral cooperation, trade and related matters, and efforts for peaceful conflict resolution in Georgia will also be on the agenda of the meeting.
The meeting will be chaired by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, with Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, leading the EU delegation.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, on Friday said Georgia was at a “new stage” in its relations with the European Union and called for making “full use” of “new opportunities” as part of the EU enlargement policy.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said it was a “paradox” that a Commonwealth of Independent States member state enjoyed the European Union membership candidacy, while Georgia, which he said was “advanced in terms of reforms and democracy”, had yet to receive the status.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said Georgia’s “track record of Europeanisation” made the country a “deserving candidate” for European Union membership.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said the Georgian Government had not deviated from the path that “involves joining the European family”.
The European Union will invite the next UK Prime Minister, as well as nine countries hoping to join the bloc, including Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and six western Balkan states, plus non-candidates Armenia and Azerbaijan to a summit on new pan-European security body scheduled on October 6 in Prague, a British daily newspaper The Guardian reported on Saturday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said his Government would discuss its progress and ongoing reforms at the meeting of the European Union-Georgia Association Council in Brussels on Tuesday.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday said “core aspects” of the Georgia-European Union cooperation agenda would be discussed at the meeting of the Association Council involving the two sides later today.