On June 26, the Foreign Ministers of Austria, Lithuania, and Romania, Alexander Schallenberg, Gabrielius Landsbergis, and Bogdan Aurescu, respectively, visited Georgia where they met Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani. This trip was organized as part of a broader visit to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia mandated by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell.
According to the PM Garibashvili’s press office, the parties discussed Georgian FM David Zalkaliani’s recent visit with the two other FMs of the newly-established Associated Trio, Ukraine’s Dmytro Kuleba and Moldova’s Aureliu Ciocoi to Brussels. PM Garibashvili underscored the importance of Associated Trio’s more involvement in EU affairs, while reiterating Georgia’s aim to submit a formal application for EU membership in 2024.
The interlocutors also touched upon the dire situation in the occupied territories of Georgia, as well as human rights violations along the occupation line which they visited prior to meeting the PM. In this context, the parties underlined the importance of more active involvement of the EU in the peace and negotiation processes, including Geneva International Discussions (GID).
“PM Garibashvili spoke with EU Foreign Ministers about the necessary efforts for the immediate release of Zaza Gakheladze and Irakli Bebua, arbitrarily detained Georgian citizens, and the importance of international partners’ support in this process,” the press office noted.
Romanian FM Aurescu reacted to the Georgia visit on Twitter, saying that the importance of the April 19 Agreement’s full implementation was stressed at the meeting with PM Garibashvili. The Romanian FM also underlined the EU’s support of Georgia’s judiciary reform.
EU Foreign Ministers are set to hold a summary press conference on their visit to South Caucasus later today.
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