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Estonian, Georgian PMs Meet in Tallinn

PM Ivanishvili, who is paying a two-day visit in Tallinn, met with his Estonian counterpart Andrus Ansip on September 9.

The Estonian PM said that upcoming EU Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius was discussed “quite extensively” during the meeting.

PM Ansip said that Estonia supports initialing of the Association Agreement, also including deep and comprehensive free trade area, between the EU and Georgia at the Vilnius summit in late November.

“We would also like to see that initialing of these agreements will also be followed actually by enforcement of [these agreements] during the term in office of the current European Commission,” which expires in October, 2014, PM Ansip said.

“Georgia can count on Estonia’s support,” he added.
 
PM Ivanishvili said that Georgia wants the Association Agreement with the EU to be signed “no later than May.”

“We will initial Association Agreement with the EU at the Vilnius summit; but we have set new goals; we think that we should manage to sign the agreement in April, no later than May,” he said.
 
While noting about “excellent” political relations between the two countries, the both PMs also said that there was a potential to boost economic ties.

“Regrettably level of economic cooperation is not at the same level with existing excellent political ties,” Ivanishvili said.
 
The Georgian PM said that relations with Russia, as well as Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration were also discussed.
 
“I assured my counterpart that Georgia’s new government will continue moving towards the EU and NATO with faster pace in order to become member of these organizations in the near future,” PM Ivanishvili said.

When asked during the press conference about his plans after his intended pre-term resignation, PM Ivanishvili reiterated that he plans to quit “several weeks after” the October 27 presidential elections to go into the civil society sector to provide scrutiny of the government.

“I think I have already played my role in the politics. I fought against the authorities, which were not democratic. I am leaving behind a very good team and I am not going to re-enter the politics,” he said.

He was then asked about outgoing President Saakashvili; Ivanishvili responded that he had “very good relations” with Saakashvili for several years, “giving him advices.”

“But our relations were spoiled after he spoiled his relation with the democracy,” Ivanishvili said. “I have managed to send him from the politics and several weeks after the presidential elections I am quitting too. As far as Saakashvili future is concerned, it depends on him and probably on how the processes will develop. I would like Georgia to look more into the future and towards progress rather than into the past, but this process of restoration of justice is endless and processes can possibly develop in any direction in Georgia,” Ivanishvili said.

In Tallinn PM Ivanishvili also met President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, speaker of parliament Ene Ergma and Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)

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