Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, paid a working visit to Brussels on November 11-14. Within the framework of the visit the Prime Minister of Georgia met with President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso. The sides discussed the perspective of future cooperation. As José Manuel Barroso stated the meeting with Bidzina Ivanishvili exceeded all expectations.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister of Georgia held a meeting with President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy. The meeting was attended by Maia Panjikidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, and Aleksandre Petriashvili, State Minister of Georgia for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration. The sides discussed the issues of European integration.
After the meeting Bidzina Ivanishvili and Herman Van Rompuy made a declaration for the media representatives. According to the Prime Minister of Georgia, the foreign policy of the country will not change as the course of Georgia is Europe and Euro-Atlantic space. For his part, President of the European Council expressed satisfaction concerning the fact that Bidzina Ivanishvili paid his first official visit to Brussels.
On November 14 Bidzina Ivanishvili met with President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz. Martin Schulz congratulated Bidzina Ivanishvili on winning the elections and thanked him for the visit. At the meeting they touched upon the topic of Georgian-Russian relations. As stated by Schulz the new Georgian Government's desire to have constructive relations with Russia is quite welcome.
Prime Mi
nister of Georgia provided President of the European Parliament with information concerning appointment of Special Representative for Relations with Russia, which was follows by a positive assessment for the part of Martin Schulz. The Georgian side specified furthermore that it expects reciprocal moves from Russia.
At the meeting they talked also about the procedures of simplification of the visa regime and it was mentioned that Association Agreement should
be signed before Vilnius summit.
Besides, within the framework of the visit the Prime Minister of Georgia personally met with European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule. At the meeting the sides discussed the issues of intensification of Georgia's integration into Europe.
Before flying to Georgia the Prime Minister met with the United States Permanent Representative to NATO. Bidzina Ivanishvili and Ivo Daalder talked about the issue of Georgia's integration into NATO.
At the end of the visit the Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, met with NATO Secretary General. After the meeting a joint press conference was held for the media representatives. According to Bidzina Ivanishvili's exaltations, Rasmussen stated that NATO shall treat any steps of the new Government of Georgia with understanding and trust.
"Both sides expressed their regret with respect to the events having taken place in Georgia. I mean the arrests. I offered the Secretary General to take part in those processes in any form for everything to be transparent and comprehensible. To our satisfaction Mr. Rasmussen expressed explicit confidence to us, did not consider it necessary and pointed out that will treat any our steps with understanding and trust. That was his position regarding this issue", - declared the Prime Minister.
For his part, NATO Secretary General stated that Georgia remains a devoted and close partner for NATO.
"Within the latest period you have doubled your contribution to Afghanistan and have already joined the next consultation mission planned by NATO in Afghanistan, which is oriented to training of Afghan army after 2014. You aspire to join our alliance. Prime Minister, I welcome your declaration that your Government also tries to manage this and I assure you that NATO also wishes to have close relations with Georgia. Our ties are firm and our dialogues are high-ranking", - declared Rasmussen.
Prime Minister's Press Service