FM hails “interesting” COP28 exchange between Georgian PM, European Council President

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday said the country’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili had held a “very interesting meeting” with Charles Michel, the European Council President, on collaboration prospects on the sidelines of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai. 

The FM said the discussion, which came following the European Commission’s positive recommendation last month for the European Council to grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status, reviewed initiatives for the medium, short and long term.

He stressed “frequent communication” between the two leaders was “directed towards achieving concrete results in the spirit of cooperation”, with the latest meeting set to bring a “new impetus” for the cooperation. 

Darchiashvili said the exchange highlighted the anticipated candidate status was seen as a “crucial milestone” in Georgia that would “usher in a new chapter” in the country’s relationship with the bloc. 

The FM added Garibashvili also briefed the EU official about the “comprehensive action plan” recently adopted by the Government Commission for meeting the European Commission conditions for opening accession talks with Tbilisi after the granting of the status.