Georgian Foreign Minister to Meet CoE Secretary General

Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili participates in the Committee of Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE) members states in Strasbourg on May 12-13.

According to the CoE statement issued on May 10 the Georgian Foreign Minister is expected to discuss her government’s position over the recent dispute between Georgia and CoE with the Secretary General of Council of Europe Walter Schwimmer.

On May 9 President Saakashvili slammed the Council of Europe and Secretary General Walter Schwimmer personally, for the May 2 statement regarding the situation in Adjara, which put blame for escalation in Adjara on both Georgia?s central government and ex-Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze.

Following Saakashvili?s harsh criticism, Georgian Foreign Affairs Ministry ?launched procedures necessary to expel foreign diplomat,? Georgian Deputy Foreign Minster Kakha Sikharulidze said, referring to CoE Secretary General?s special representative in Georgia Plamen Nikolov.