Foreign Leaders Congratulate Zurabishvili on Election Victory

Diplomats and officials from across the world congratulate Salome Zurabishvili on winning Georgia’s presidential elections.

Armenian President Armen Sarkissian hopes the friendly relations between the two countries would be further enhanced.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed hope Zurabishvili’s term of office “will be marked by continuous uplift and prosperity in the history of Georgia.”

Congratulating Zurabishvili on the victory, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenka expressed his confidence that the two countries would continue “intensive contacts” on political, economic and humanitarian issues, and strengthen bilateral dialogue.

Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid is “looking forward to further strengthening the already excellent relations between Estonia and Georgia based on shared values and common interests.”

French President Emmanuel Macron was one of the first to congratulate Zurabishvili, following the announcement of the preliminary results of the runoff. Hoping to meet her soon “to construct the future of our mutual ties,” Macron said, he is confident, that the ties between France and Georgia will become even tighter.

In a statement released yesterday, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said “France stands ready to work with Ms. Zourabichvili in order to further strengthen the long-standing and excellent relations between our two countries.”

“The new president can count on our determination to continue to take action in support Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders,” the statement reads.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė wished Georgia’s President-elect “best luck serving your country and its people!”

NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, James Appathurai congratulated Zurabishvili on her election as Georgia’s next President. He also congratulated Georgian people “for an election that has been assessed as free and competitive.”

“It was clearly a hard fought campaign, and more should be done to ensure a level playing field for all candidates in future. I look forward to meeting the Georgian leadership soon, and carrying on our work together,” Appathurai wrote on his official Facebook page.

Turkish Foreign Ministry welcomed “the successful conduct of the second round of the presidential elections in Georgia.”

“We hope the results of the elections will be beneficial for the people of Georgia. We believe that the results of the elections will further contribute to the strategic partnership between Turkey and Georgia,” the Foreign Ministry stated.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko also joined in the other leaders, wishing Zurabishvili “every success in ensuring Georgia’s democratic European development and consolidation of society.” “I’m convinced of the further deepening of strategic partnership between our two nations,” he said.

“United Kingdom and Georgia are strategic partners. I welcome the President-elect’s determination to bring society together and to uphold the democratic standards which the people of Georgia demand and deserve,” British Minister of State for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom, Alan Duncan said.

President of United Nations General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés also congratulated Salome Zurabishvili “on being elected Georgia’s first female president.” “Always encouraging to see growing roles of women in power,”she noted.

United States congratulated Salome Zourabichvili on her election as President of Georgia as well, stressing U.S. and Georgia “are and will remain strong partners.” “We fully support Georgian democracy, prosperity, territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and Western integration, and we are determined to work with our friends here toward this country’s success,” U.S. Embassy to Georgia said.

Deputy U.S. State Department’s Spokesperson Robert Palladino also said at yesterday’s news briefing that “United States looks forward to working with President-elect Salome Zurabishvili and continuing our close partnership with Georgia on range of important bilateral and regional issues, including our robust security cooperation and Georgia’s contributions to NATO’s Resolute Support Missions in Afghanistan.”

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