Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s visit to Brussels this week was “very important” for the country and its foreign political priorities.
In his comments, Darchiashvili said the visit would discuss the country’s integration into the European Union within the Association Council format, which he said represented the “main platform” for relations between the country and the bloc.
Darchiashvili said it was a “very important” message from the PM to hold the meetings with officials of EU and NATO bodies, with the eighth meeting of the Council set to be hosted on Tuesday.
Darchiashvili said the Government had “immediately” started its work on fulfilling the nine conditions set out by the European Commission in November for opening accession talks with Georgia. He added the conditions were “spelled out” for each institution.
We have also repeatedly said that any document is subject to change depending on the situation, and the consultations we have with our European partners in a continuous format”, the official also noted.
The Minister added he had “personally addressed” the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe with the invitation for observers for the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in the country in October.
This was one of our responsibilities and obligations [...] We have repeatedly said that open and transparent elections are our top priority. We are primarily interested in making these elections outstanding and of high standards”, he said.
He also said the PM’s first visit to Brussels would mark the start of a “very important” process and give a “new impetus” to “strengthening and accelerating” Georgia’s foreign policy priorities.
The FM also emphasised the country's progress in European integration and said it was stemming from the implementation of “daily reforms” with a “consistent approach in various directions”. He added theGeorgian Parliament had developed “many laws and changes” that had ensured the country’s “institutional and legal compatibility” with the EU.
The top diplomat also noted sectoral cooperation “in many directions” would be one of the “main topics” discussed on Tuesday to identify “even more components and more opportunities” for Georgia to continue the integration on a “practical level”.