PM Garibashvili holds high-level meetings in New York
By Khatia Bzhalava
Thursday, September 23
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili is attending the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly which is taking place on September 21-27 in New York. The Head of the Georgian Government will address the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly on September 24. Within the framework of the UNGA, Garibashvili holds meetings with his counterparts and leaders of different countries in a bilateral format.
PM of Georgia held a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan where Garibashvili noted that ‘Georgia is committed to fulfilling its peacemaking purpose toward long-term peace and stability in the Caucasus Region’ as, according to him, supporting peace and stability in the region is the top objective of the country.
The parties underlined that the agreement reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan through the mediation of Georgia and the US, which resulted in the release of Armenian war prisoners, is an ‘excellent’ foundation for further cooperation between the neighbours.
Georgian PM also met with Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah of the State of Kuwait and discussed deepening the partnership at all institutional levels. The PM of Kuwait expressed an interest in implementing investment projects in Georgia. The conversation also focused on developing trade and economic potential between the two countries and supporting tourism. The importance of opening an embassy of Kuwait in Tbilisi was also emphasized for further deepening partnership in various directions.
According to the governmental press service, Georgia's progress toward European integration was highlighted at the meeting with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. The sides pointed out that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries and welcomed the fact that their relations are actively progressing in both bilateral and multilateral formats. Parties expressed commitment to even deeper cooperation in the areas of the economy, tourism, environmental protection, agriculture, education and culture, regional cooperation, and other fields. Prime Minister of Georgia thanked the Austrian Chancellor for supporting Georgia's initiatives and Georgia-related resolutions in the UN and invited him to Georgia.
The sides talked about Georgia's role in the evacuation efforts from Afghanistan as well and as Garibashvili stressed, Tbilisi International Airport has become a transit hub for evacuating coalition forces from Afghanistan, receiving more than 250 flights. After the meeting, Georgian PM participated in a high-level dialogue organized by the Austrian Chancellor, where country leaders discussed the protection of the rights of the Afghani people, especially women and girls, both in Afghanistan and in the region.
Garibashvili, together with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, also attended an event organized by Polish President Andrzej Duda.
“The parties emphasized that the three countries (Georgia, Moldova, Poland) are exceptional partners under the Eastern Partnership, and it is crucial to highlight their role even clearer at the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit,” governmental press service reports.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Garibashvili emphasized EU membership as Georgia's main goal and stressed the importance of support from European partners in the country's plan of applying for EU membership in 2024.
