Switzerland continue to mediate icy Georgia-Russia relations

On 29 May Micheline Calmy-Rey - President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs - paid an official two-day visit to Georgia. In the framework of her visit to Georgia, Micheline Calmy-Rey met with the President of Georgia MIkheil Saakashvili and Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigol Vashadze. After the termination of diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia, Switzerland plays the role of mediator between the two countries.

“The major topics of discussion were bilateral relations and Georgia's occupied territories. After the termination of diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia Switzerland plays a role of mediator between the two countries. During the tete-a-tete meeting between Mikheil Saakashvili and Micheline Calmy-Ray special attention was paid to the issue of strengthening the role of Switzerland as a mediator,” the President’s administration Press Office said in a statement.

During Ms. Calmy-Rey's meeting with the Georgian Foreign Minister, the two discussed priorities of bilateral and multilateral co-operation between Georgia and the Swiss Confederation.

Ms. Calmy-Rey also met the President of Georgia, Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili, and a meeting with the Georgian Prime Minister, Mr. Nika Gilauri, is also planned.

Within the frames of two-day visit the President of Switzerland will hold meetings with different members of the Government of Georgia.