New Foreign Minister Lays Out Priorities

Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili addresses Georgian diplomats at an annual ambassadorial meeting in Tbilisi, September 2, 2015. Photo: Georgian MFA

Making full use of Georgia’s potential in east-west transit route is “vitally” important to “fully implement” Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration goals, newly appointed Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said on September 2.

Speaking at an annual gathering of Georgian diplomats in Tbilisi, Kvirikashvili, who served as Economy Minister before becoming the country’s top diplomat on September 1, said that Georgia’s pro-western foreign policy course is “irreversible” and noted that focus will also be made to intensify economic dimension of the foreign policy.

“Georgia’s foreign policy priorities remain unchanged as it is determined not by governments, but by the free will of the Georgian people,” he said at the ambassadorial meeting, which was his first public address after taking foreign minister’s post.

“I am happy to continue this tradition of Georgia’s return to the European family,” said Kvirikashvili, who has retained the post of Deputy PM.

Among the priorities he mentioned the need to further increase support from Georgia’s partners and international organizations “in order to counter illegal actions against Georgia’s statehood and sovereignty”.

“We will do our utmost to permanently keep the international community’s attention on the issue of the creeping annexation and militarization” of Georgia’s breakaway regions," Kvirikashvili said. He added that promoting international non-recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia will remain high on the Georgian foreign policy agenda.

“Georgia’s irreversible course of European and Euro-Atlantic integration will continue,” he said.

“In this regard the main task is successful implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU and maximum use of possibilities provided by the deep and comprehensive free trade area,” Kvirikashvili said.

“The most immediate priority is a successful completion of visa liberalisation process with the European Union,” he said.

“We will spare no efforts to get closer to NATO,” Kvirikashvili said. “Now it is important to make our progress appropriately reflected at the [NATO] Warsaw summit [next year].”

“Continuation of strategic partnership with the United States is important. American public should be well informed about developments in Georgia and we will cooperate closely with the U.S. administration and Congress, as well as expert community and media for this purpose. Special attention will be paid to deepening of economic cooperation and trade dialogue with the U.S.,” the Georgian Foreign Minister said.

He said that “despite problems” Georgia continues “pragmatic policy” towards Russia.

“Negotiations on political and security issues will of course continue in frames of the Geneva International Discussions and special representatives will work on economic and humanitarian issues,” he said, referring to the bilateral format of dialogue between Georgian PM’s special envoy for relation with Russia, Zurab Abashidze, and Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin.

“A lot of attention will be paid to deepening relations with countries in the region. We will continue our strategic cooperation with Azerbaijan and Turkey, and traditionally close and friendly relations with Armenia,” he said.

“You won’t be surprised if I say that along with the above mentioned agenda, a very important focus will be made on economic cooperation with our partners, as well as the diversification of export markets and attraction of investments,” Kvirikashvili said.

“Currently it is an important task to successfully put the great Silk Road project. As you are aware, in October we will be hosting a high-level dialogue in frames of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum. Making full use of the country’s transit potential and increase of our participation in regional energy and transport projects will be a priority direction,” he said.

He also said that the implementation of the Anaklia deep-sea port project will significantly increase Georgia’s transit potential.

“It should be noted that strengthening of Georgia’s potential in terms of east-west transit and logistics and Georgia’s integration into transport and logistics networks of region, as well as of our far and near neighbors, is vitally important to fully implement Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration. East-west direction is especially important and a lot of efforts will be directed towards it,” Kvirikashvili said.

Speaking with the reporters after his address, Kvirikashvili also noted importance of potential western sanctions relief on Iran and said: “This process is very interesting for Georgia from the economic point of view.”

Speaking at the ambassadorial meeting, PM Irakli Garibashvili said that while following the western path “firmly and unwaveringly”, Georgia is also trying to intensify its relations in other directions.

“Yesterday [after being appointed as the foreign minister] Mr Kvirikashvili mentioned that we will consider all the potential available on the Eurasian continent and I want to note that this is a right direction, right message; along with our main goal – the Euro-Atlantic integration, of course we should continue and further deepen relations with China and other countries in Asia as well as in the Middle East,” PM Garibashvili said.

“Pragmatic policy that we have towards Russia is important for us – it helped to increase stability for our country,” he said. “It is of utmost importance for our government to maintain and continue our pragmatic and prudent policy towards Russia, because peaceful dialogue and this pragmatic policy have no alternative.”

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