Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Linas Linkevičius, who is paying an official visit to Georgia on September 8-11, met with his Georgian counterpart, Davit Zalkaliani yesterday.
Zalkaliani and Linkevičius discussed the issues of bilateral cooperation, trade relations, Georgia’s EU and NATO aspirations, as well as security and humanitarian situation in Georgia’s occupied regions, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry.
Minister Zalkaliani noted that “Lithuania is Georgia’s closest ally” and “a special supporter” of Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration. “We are sure that the support that we receive from our Lithuanian friends to accelerate our European processes that already yields tangible results, will further intensify in the future,” the Georgian Foreign Minister said.
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry quoted Linas Linkevičius as saying that “democratization will have a profound effect on Georgia’s further integration with western structures.” “The Government must further strengthen the rule of law, foster media pluralism, also maintain dialogue with the opposition and the non-governmental sector,” the Lithuanian Foreign Minister said.
Linkevičius “strongly condemned” all acts with regard to the so called elections or “borderization” in the occupied regions.
Speaking about European integration, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister hailed Georgia as “a frontrunner.” In NATO context, he said that “Georgia is already acting as NATO member, delivering troops, sharing risks.” He also stressed the unity of Georgian society with regard to Euro-Atlantic integration that “is a very strong argument in the future.”
Also on September 9, the Foreign Ministers of the two countries co-chaired the 6th meeting of the Georgian-Lithuanian Commission on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
The Georgian-Lithuanian Commission on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration was established in 2010 to ensure Lithuania’s support for Georgia’s EU and NATO integration.
Later on the same day, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister met with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Parliament Chairman Archil Talakvadze.
On September 9, Linkevičius attended the 5th Tbilisi International Conference co-organized by McCain Institute and Economic Police Research Center. He also participated in the event marking the 30th anniversary of “Baltic Way.”
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)