Foreign Minister Darchiashvili Visits Switzerland

Georgia’s foreign minister, Ilia Darchiashvili, is on his first official visit to the Swiss Confederation on June 19-20. Darchiashvili has already held meetings with Swiss Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis and the President of the National Council, Martin Candinas. As part of his visit, Darchiashvili will also meet with the Mayor of Bern Alec von Graffenried.

Meeting with the Foreign Minister

On June 19, Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilia Darchiashvili, held a meeting with Switzerland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis. According to the Foreign Ministry of Georgia, during the meeting the two ministers “discussed the productive collaboration between their countries across multiple domains” and plans for further cooperation.

Ilia Darchiashvili expressed gratitude to Ignazio Cassis for Switzerland’s steadfast support in upholding Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, along with Switzerland’s contribution to reconciliation and trust-building initiatives among citizens affected by the occupation line. The significance of Swiss assistance in the current challenging context was acknowledged. The encouraging trend of frequent high-level visits and meetings between Georgia and the Swiss Confederation in recent years was underscored.

During the meeting, the ministers discussed the challenging security situation stemming from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. They highlighted the significance of the Black Sea region for Europe and stressed the need to engage international partners in the region.

The discussion also encompassed the collaboration between Georgia and Switzerland across diverse sectors, including the economy, tourism, and trade. Both parties acknowledged the successful operations of Swiss companies in Georgia, noting an upswing in trade dynamics and an increase in Swiss visitors to Georgia. The long-term efforts of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Georgia were recognized for their substantial contribution to the country’s socio-economic progress.

Furthermore, the ministers touched upon the bilateral cooperation within international organizations and underscored the importance of mutual support between the two nations.

Meeting with the President of the National Council

As part of his official visit to Switzerland, Ilia Darchiashvili met a meeting with Martin Candinas, the President of Switzerland’s National Council. The minister highlighted that his visit reaffirms the outstanding bilateral and multilateral relations between the two countries.

Ilia Darchiashvili expressed gratitude to the President of the National Council for the unwavering support of Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The discussion during the meeting evolved around the collaboration between the legislative bodies of both countries.

The parliamentary groups of friends in the Parliaments of Georgia and Switzerland received positive recognition for their efforts. In addition, the sides discussed the challenging security situation in the region, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, underscoring the vital role of international community support.

Furthermore, the wide spectrum of ongoing cooperation between Georgia and Switzerland, as well as prospects for the future, were discussed by the parties.

To be updated…

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