British FCO Permanent Under-Secretary Visits Georgia

Sir Philip Barton, the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, visited Georgia on July 24-25. During his visit, he met with the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, and MPs of the Georgian Parliament.

Meeting with the Prime Minister

Sir Philip Barton met with Georgia’s Prime Minister, Irakli Garibashvili, to discuss the strategic partnership between Georgia and the United Kingdom and the development of political relations, according to the press release of the Government Administration of Georgia.

During the meeting, PM Garibashvili expressed Georgia’s gratitude for the unwavering support from the United Kingdom concerning Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-recognition policy. The official release also highlighted the Prime Minister’s emphasis on the United Kingdom’s significant role in strengthening state institutions and promoting democratic development within the country.

The discussions revolved around the existing “Wardrop Strategic Dialogue” between Georgia and the United Kingdom, encompassing a wide range of strategic partnership that aims to reinforce the cooperation agreement between the two nations. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the ongoing military operations in Ukraine and their impact on the security environment in the region.

Meeting with the MPs

Sir Philip Barton, accompanied by the representatives of the Georgian office of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), a U.S. non-profit whose activities in Georgia are partially financed by the British government, met the members of the Parliament. The main topic of discussion during the meeting was the parliamentary oversight in Georgia.

Chairman of the Education and Science Committee Givi Mikanadze, Chairman of the Agrarian Issues Committee Nino Tsilosani, Chairman of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee Maya Bitadze and member of the political group “Reforms Group” Teona Akubardia participated in the meeting.

According to the press release of the Georgian Parliament, MP Mikanadze informed the British diplomat about legislative changes made as part of the 12-point plan devised by the European Commission and discussed future plans for implementing the supervisory function in the tenth convocation parliament.

The release also notes that MP Bitadze highlighted the British Government’s and NDI’s crucial roles as partners in Georgia’s supervisory function across different committees. According to Bitadze, the meeting also covered various topics, including gender equality, transparency in parliamentary work, environmental protection, defense, and security.

In conclusion, Teona Akubardia, the only opposition MP who attended, raised concerns about ministers not attending committee sessions and delays in the interpellation procedure. Akubardia also emphasized the significance of Britain’s assistance in bolstering democracy in Georgia.

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