BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 27
By Maryana Akhmedova – Trend:
Georgia and the EU discussed enhancing cooperation in foreign policy and security, as provided for in the Association Agreement, Trend reports via the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
The issue was discussed at the fourth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Security Issues between Georgia and the EU in Brussels. The meeting was co-chaired by Enrique Mora, the Deputy Secretary-General, and Lasha Darsalia, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. The First Deputy Minister of Defense of Georgia Lela Chikovani also participated in the meeting.
The sides reaffirmed the important role of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia in terms of peace and security and stressed the need for the Monitoring Mission to fully implement its mandate.
The EU expressed its gratitude for Georgia's valuable participation in EU crisis management missions in the framework of the Common Defense and Security Policy, in particular in the Central African Republic and Mali, and has positively assessed the key transit role played by Georgia in the evacuation process from Afghanistan.
The participants of the meeting also discussed the possibilities of deepening cooperation between the parties in the field of defense and security, including issues related to dealing with hybrid threats and, in this regard, strengthening Georgia's resilience and capabilities.
“The EU values Georgia as an important partner in promoting regional and international security. The EU has a clear interest in Georgia being a safe, stable, and prosperous country. The EU stands ready to provide additional impetus to regional cooperation and economic development in the South Caucasus,” Enrique Mora, the Deputy Secretary General, said.
Georgia and the EU are driven by the common goal of promoting security and stability in Europe and beyond, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Lasha Darsalia, noted.
“Georgia has reaffirmed its interest in participating in the EU Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) project,” Lasha Darsalia added.
Meetings of the Georgia-EU High Level Strategic Dialogue are held annually and discuss common issues of common interest within the framework of EU foreign and security policy, including the EU Common Defense and Security Policy.
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