Eurocommissaris Štefan Füle bespreekt Europees-Georgische samenwerking met premier Bidzina Ivanishvili (en)

European Commission

MEMO

Brussels, 12 November 2012

Statement by Commissioner Štefan i Füle i following his meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Štefan Füle, met Prime Minister Ivanishvili today in Brussels. Mr Ivanishvili made his first overseas visit as Prime Minister.

The Commissioner welcomed Prime Minister Ivanishvili’s reaffirmation of Georgia’s path of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. He underlined the strong desire of the European Union to move quickly ahead, in close co-operation with both the new Government and the Presidency of Georgia, on the broad programme of negotiations and reforms which will lead to Georgia’s political association and economic integration with the European Union. In this context, he called on the Prime Minister and the President to continue to interact effectively during their period of cohabitation, building on the cooperation they already achieved and bearing in mind their respective constitutional roles.

The Commissioner recalled the European Union’s ambition to complete as soon as possible the negotiations of an Association Agreement, including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. He also looked forward to the presentation of an EU-Georgia Visa Liberalisation Action Plan in the near future, with a view to improving people-to-people contacts between the citizens of Georgia and the European Union.

The Commissioner reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to Georgia’s territorial integrity. He reiterated the European Union’s intention to continue providing financial and technical assistance to support priority reforms in Georgia.