Foreign Minister Nominee Hearing at Parliament
Maka Botchorishvili, Georgia’s newly nominated candidate for Minister of Foreign Affairs, has outlined her vision for the country’s foreign policy at the joint hearing of the parliamentary committees, claiming that Georgia will be ready to join the EU by 2030 and noting the importance of reseting relations with Georgia’s strategic partner, the U.S. In what proved to be a rather comfortable hearing, due to the absence of the opposition in the hall, the nominee spoke about Georgia’s foreign policy priorities for the next four years. No tough questions followed the Foreign Minister nominee’s speech.
“The foreign policy priorities of the Georgian Government are focused on the peaceful restoration of the country’s territorial integrity and the strengthening of its sovereignty, ensuring stability and security, integrating the country into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, and deepening relations with international partners,” Botchorishilli summed up at the outset.
Unsurprisingly, the notable focus of Botchorishvili’s address was on EU integration, the most prominent foreign policy issue in Georgia’s public and political life. Citing the Art. 78 of the Constitution on the primacy of the EU and NATO integration for Georgia, she maintained that Georgia “continues its irreversible path of Euro-Atlantic integration, therefore, relations with NATO and the European Union will be a distinct priority.” She said that the “great achievement of EU membership candidacy is based on the progress our country has made on the path of European integration over the past 10 years, our selfless struggle to gain the political support of our partners, and, of course, the unwavering will of the Georgian people.” Noting that one of the top priorities for the government “is to prepare for EU membership” she confidently stated: “If the EU enlarges by 2030, Georgia will be the best prepared among the candidate countries for EU membership”.
“I hope that, after the approval of the new composition of the European Commission, we will have the opportunity to work intensively with the relevant services of the European Commission in order to take steps forward towards EU membership, together with other candidate countries, over the next four years,” she further said.
According to the Foreign Minister designate, “the dialogue cannot be a language of ultimatums” and “constructive approaches to all critical issues need to be sought between the partners.”
Maka Botchorishvili was a Chair of the parliamentary European Integration Committee in the previous convocation of the Parliament, at a time when relations between Georgia and the EU reached an all-time low due to the Georgian Dream government’s anti-democratic actions and highly controversial laws, most notably the notorious Foreign Agents Law. Notably, the ministerial candidate voted three times in favor of the law and also voted to override the presidential veto of the law – the very law that has become a major stumbling block and obstacle on the road to EU membership. She is also known as an ardent defender and promoter of the government’s controversial steps and policies.
Botchorishvili said that given Georgia’s status as a candidate for EU membership, “it is important to make the most of the existing formats of strategic partnership, but we will also continue to develop new platforms, facilitate regular consultations, political consultations with our European partners.” She stated that “Georgia will continue to steadfastly provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine within its capabilities and provide full diplomatic support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
She addressed the issue of maintaining strong international support for the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict and stressed the importance of maintaining high level of support on the international agenda for the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict. “The Georgian government will continue to work actively and use all possible diplomatic and legal leverage to de-occupy the occupied territories of Georgia,” the nominee stated.
“Georgia’s strategic partnership with the United States is a priority and of particular importance in all priority areas envisaged by the Strategic Partnership Charter,” Botchorishvili said, noting the need for a “reset of relations” with the United States, which, she said, “implies the restoration of equal relations based on the principle of justice, taking into account the interests of the parties, and the full renewal and development of cooperation in all areas.”
Botchorishvili emphasized importance of proactive engagement with international organizations and a focus on strengthening relationships with key global partners.
Botchorishvili promised that “in the coming years, Georgia’s neighborhood policy will be balanced and based on the principles of protecting territorial integrity, sovereignty, good neighborliness, strengthening security, and promoting peace and stability in the region.”
The ministerial candidate also focused on the opportunities for deepening strategic relations between Georgia and the People’s Republic of China. According to her, cooperation will continue to deepen trade, economic and other relations and maximize the existing potential.
She highlighted the continued importance of Georgia’s trilateral cooperation with Turkey and Azerbaijan, both of which are crucial partners in various regional and global initiatives, and promised to deepen relations with Armenia.
She promised to maximize Georgia’s transit potential and noted that “work will continue to strengthen the positioning of Georgia as an important participant in the Europe-Asia connectivity strategy and Plan.”
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
