FM Darchiashvili Visits Brussels

Foreign Minister of Georgia Ilia Darchiashvili began bilateral meetings as part of his visit to Brussels. On December 11, he met with Simon Mordue, Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the European Council and Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General – Directorate-General Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR).

At the meeting with Simon Mordue, parties discussed the enlargement agenda and the expected decision of the European Council in this regard. According to the MFA press release, the Minister provided the diplomatic advisor with comprehensive information “on the successful reform agenda implemented by Georgia, including the Action Plan for the Implementation of the European Commission’s Recommendations”.

During the meeting it was noted that the country deserves to be granted the candidate status and the hope was expressed that the European Council will take a decision that will lead Georgia to the next stage in the process of accession to the European Union.

According to the MFA, the parties also discussed the format of the “Eastern Partnership” and its further development and expressed the hope that a fruitful discussion on this issue will be held within the ministerial framework on the basis of the interests and aspirations of the participating countries.

The parties also reviewed the current situation in the occupied regions of Georgia. The Georgian side thanked the European Union for its support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, for its involvement in the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict and for its contribution to the process of ensuring security on the ground.

Foreign Minister Darchiashvili also met with Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General – Directorate-General Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR). According to the MFA, the parties positively assessed the ongoing intensive consultations with the Georgian authorities and the European Commission. Ilia Darchiashvili briefed the Director General on the implementation of the nine conditions set by EC and noted the progress made by the Government in this short period of time.

Within the framework of his visit to Brussels, the Georgian FM also met with Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement. “[I had a] good meeting with Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. As we are in a crucial phase in the matter of granting candidate status to Georgia, I exchanged information on the latest activities that Georgia has undertaken in terms of fulfilling the EU Commission’s recommendations. I thanked him for the Commission’s support for the European path of Georgia,” the Georgian FM tweeted.

According to Commissioner Várhelyi, the parties “discussed the state of play of required reforms on Georgia’s EU path.” He noted that “it’s important to involve all the stakeholders in the process.”

FM Darchiashvili also met with the French and Dutch foreign ministers. At both meetings, FM Darchiashvili expressed hope that Georgia will be granted the EU candidate status.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Ilia Darchiashvili took part in the 41st meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova (GUAM), which was held in Brussels on December 12 under the chairmanship of Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba.

According to the MFA, Ilia Darchiashvili emphasized that in the conditions of the changed geopolitical environment GUAM, as an economic cooperation organization with significant potential in the sphere of trade, energy and transport, has a special role in strengthening regional cooperation.

The parties summarized the political, interparliamentary and sectoral measures provided for by the GUAM agenda under the Ukrainian Chairmanship; special attention was paid to the consultations held with the European Union in the direction of transport and connectivity and the importance of further coordinated cooperation.

At the end of the meeting the parties signed the decision on the transfer of the Chairmanship in 2024 to Azerbaijan.

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