FM Darchiashvili Visits Finland

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili is visiting Finland on March 12 and 13. During the visit he has already met with the President of Finland Alexander Stubb, the Minister of Foreign Affars of Finland Elina Valtonen, and the Minister for European Affairs of Finland Anders Adlercreutz. Additional meetings were held with representatives of the Grand Committee of the Finnish Parliament.

Meeting with Finland’s President

The meeting of FM Darchiashvili with President Stubb took place on March 13, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported.

According to the official press release of the Georgian MFA, the two sides discussed the partnership relations between Georgia and Finland, as well as the prospects for their future development.

The meeting focused on Georgia’s European integration process and Finland’s role in it.

FM Darchiashvili thanked President Stubb for his support of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also expressed his gratitude for then-Foreign Minister Stubb’s personal involvement in a “decisive moment” for Georgia in 2008 and his contribution to the peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“Delighted to commence my official visit to Finland by meeting President Alexander Stubb. We discussed the core aspects of global security challenges and accentuated the significance of maintaining regional security. I focused on Georgia’s role in this context. I also expressed gratitude for Finland’s staunch support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for the country’s EU membership path,” FM Darchiashvili tweeted.

“A very good meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Ilia Darchiashvili today at the Presidential Palace. We discussed many topics, also recent history. In 2008, we should have seen what was coming. Let us not repeat our mistakes,” President Alexander Stubb tweeted.

Meeting with Finland’s Foreign Minister

FM Darchiashvili also met with his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen. During the meeting, the sides discussed the agenda of Finnish-Georgian relations with a special focus on business ties.

The meeting also focused on Georgia’s European integration process. FM Darchiashvili emphasized the importance of Finland’s support for Georgia in starting accession negotiations.

He also briefed his counterpart on the security, humanitarian and human rights situation in the occupied territories of Georgia. The two sides discussed the Geneva International Discussions and underlined the support of international partners for the peaceful resolution of the conflict.

FM Darchiashvili invited FM Valtonen to Georgia.

“During my visit to Finland, I had a very good meeting with my counterpart Elina Valtonen, addressing key issues of the bilateral agenda. We focused on the opportunities for enhancing relations between the two countries in various areas of mutual interest and agreed that commitment to strong diplomatic ties remains unwavering. I also briefed my colleague regarding Georgia’s plans on the EU accession path and highlighted the importance of Finland’s support in this process,” FM Darchiashvili tweeted.

“Glad to host my colleague, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili in Helsinki. First meeting between Finland and Georgia after Georgia received the EU candidate country status. The work on necessary reforms continues, with Finland’s support. Happy to deepen our bilateral ties,” FM Valtonen tweeted.

Meeting with Minister for European Affairs

On March 13, another meeting was held between FM Darchiashvili and the Minister for European Affairs of Finland, Anders Adlercreutz.

During the meeting the sides discussed the main directions of cooperation between the two countries and prospects for its further deepening.

The discussions focused on Georgia’s EU integration process. As the “historic” significance of granting Georgia the status of an EU candidate country was underlined, FM Darchiashvili expressed his hope that “Georgia’s progress and the ambitious reforms carried out in various directions will be duly recognized and appreciated by European partners.”

“At the meeting with Anders Adlercreutz, Minister for European Affairs of Finland, we reviewed Georgia’s progress on the EU membership path and spoke about the steps our country is to take in this process. I once again noted how important it is for Georgia to see Finland standing firmly by our side at this decisive moment,” FM Darchiashvili tweeted.

“Finland’s support for Georgia’s EU path is strong. Alignment with EU’s common foreign and security policy and rule of law reforms are essential on the road to the EU membership,” reads the tweet from the Finnish Government’s official X-Page on the Darchiashvili-Adlercreutz meeting.

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