Georgia strengthening role as regional peace mediator - FM
Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday said the country was ready to contribute to peace and energy security in the South Caucasus region. Photo: foreign ministry press office
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Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday said the government was “actively working” with neighbouring countries and partners both in Central Asia and in the European Union to further strengthen its role as a “strong contributor” to peace and energy security in the South Caucasus region.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the first session of the inaugural summit of the European Political Community in Prague, the official stressed “Georgia is an outstanding contributor to strengthening of energy security, and in today's deteriorating energy security conditions, it has acquired an even greater and more important role”.
When we talk about energy carriers, Georgia already has the role of an important regional player. We have been playing a special role in our region for years”, said the foreign minister.
He said Tbilisi was" ready at any time” to host Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders “for a calm and peaceful dialogue” to ensure regional stability amid tensions periodically flaring up between the latter over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
This is an ongoing process and one of the key priorities for the Georgian government. Through the active involvement of prime minister Irakli Garibashvili, [Armenia and Azerbaijan] have already come to concrete results. The recent meeting of [Armenian and Azerbaijani] foreign ministers in Tbilisi points to the special trust Georgia enjoys among its friends”, said Darchiashvili.
Georgian PM greeting Azerbaijani, Armenian top officials during the European Political Community summit in Prague. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
Georgian prime minister and Philip Reeker, the senior adviser of the United States department of state for Caucasus negotiations, brokered a deal in June 2021, involving Azerbaijan’s release of 15 Armenian prisoners of war in exchange for receiving from Armenia a map of landmines in the Agdam district of the region.
In the agreement, which followed the most recent conflict between the two counties, the captives were handed over to Armenia on the Azerbaijani-Georgian border, with the Georgian authorities attending the swap.
In July this year, Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov, held their inaugural meeting in Tbilisi, as part of the Georgian government's Peaceful Neighborhood initiative for the South Caucasus, initiated by Garibashvili to facilitate talks between the regional states.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday co-chaired a “high-level” thematic discussion in a roundtable format on the peaceful and secure future of the European Union, with his Estonian counterpart Kaja Kallas, within the framework of the first session of the inaugural summit of the European Political Community in Prague.
Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday said the inaugural summit of the European political community, set to be hosted in Prague between Thursday and Friday, would focus on the “challenges that threaten the global security architecture” and on the question of how to continue “building the European family”.
The European Union supports the “bilateral decision” of Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov, to hold their inaugural meeting in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, Toivo Klaar, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, said on Saturday.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Saturday welcomed his Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov in Tbilisi, noting his "pride" on the Georgian capital hosting talks between the countries of the region.
Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev on Thursday said it was “important” to create a “single platform” for discussions involving regional neighbours Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to ensure peace and stability in the South Caucasus.
Nikoloz Khatiashvili, the foreign policy researcher of the analytical centre Geocase, on Friday, said Georgia had an opportunity to play an "important role" in promoting stability, security and peace in the South Caucasus region, as well as to strengthen its position as a “regional player”.
President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis on Monday said Georgia could play "a good role" in ensuring peace in the Black Sea region, the Georgian Public Broadcaster reported.
Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday said the efforts of the foreign office were aimed at increasing the country's economic opportunities through economic diplomacy, and highlighted the work for integration into the European Union single market and development of startups in Georgia with the United States as particularly important.
Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darcvhiashvili on Thursday said his government was “successfully managing” to deal with “external threats” and continued to implement its “main foreign priorities” despite the “most difficult” international environment.
The Georgian government would like to see more United States involvement in the Black Sea and South Caucasus regions, given the “common interests” of the two countries, Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili said on Thursday.
Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev is set to visit Georgia on his second official trip today, with the visiting official and Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili scheduled to make joint statements for the media later during the day, the Georgian government administration has announced.
Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday said prime minister Irakli Garibashvili and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev would have the opportunity to discuss “all important issues” in bilateral relations during their meeting as part of the latter’s visit to Georgia.
The “special relations and strategic partnership” between Georgia and Azerbaijan were discussed on Monday in a meeting between Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday praised the “close friendship and strategic partnership” with Azerbaijan on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday addressed the occupation of Georgian territories by Russia and the regional Peaceful Neighborhood Initiative by the country’s prime minister Irakli Garibashvili at the ongoing 29th meeting of the ministerial council of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
The Georgian government remains committed to a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict, foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili said on Thursday in his address at the ministerial council of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said Georgia was “truly” a “neutral and impartial mediator” between Azerbaijan and Armenia, at a panel discussion Eurasia's Middle Corridor: From Pathway to Highway within the framework of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Thursday said he “greatly” appreciated the efforts of “his friend”, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili for holding a meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Tbilisi in July.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday pledged to proceed with his efforts to mediate for peace in the South Caucasus region in a meeting with Toivo Klaar, the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia.
Toivo Klaar, the European Union’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia, on Wednesday highlighted the role of Georgia as a “bridge” in regional relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan as “very important”.