UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly Meets with Georgian Government Officials in Tbilisi
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, March 20, 2023
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, met with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, James Cleverly during Cleverly's working visit to Georgia.
According to the information released by the government administration, the strategic partnership between Georgia and the United Kingdom and the high level of political dialogue was emphasized at the meeting. As Irakli Gharibashvili noted, James Cleverley's visit to Georgia emphasizes the positive dynamics of relations between the two countries.
The 'Wardrop Strategic Dialogue' between Georgia and the United Kingdom was discussed at the meeting, which covers the entire spectrum of cooperation between the two countries and will further strengthen the strategic partnership and cooperation agreement. The importance of fully utilizing the potential of cooperation in various fields was emphasized.
Before meeting Prime Minister Gharibashvili, James Cleverly met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili. At the joint briefing held after this meeting, he stated that the United Kingdom is and will remain a firm and steadfast friend of Georgia.
Cleverly said that a strong and united NATO is vital for the security of countries in Europe and beyond.
UK Foreign Secretary urged Georgia to strengthen its democracy by strengthening commitments to media freedom, civil society, and independence of the judiciary.
"That's why a specially adjusted package was developed for Georgia in 2023. In 2023, the British Embassy, together with the Romanian Embassy, will act as a NATO contact person in Georgia. Our bilateral defense cooperation goes beyond military cooperation and includes joint work on cyber security and countering disinformation.
Georgia has made great strides in the development of democracy after the historic visit of Margaret Thatcher. In order to consolidate democracy and strengthen democratic institutions, I urge you to strengthen your commitments to media freedom, civil society, and the independence of the judiciary. We are and will remain a firm and steadfast friend of Georgia. I am glad to be in Tbilisi today. I expect that our relationship will be even stronger in the future," said James Cleverly.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili told reporters after the meeting with UK Foreign Secretary that they discussed the importance of the Black Sea region and drew attention to the special role of Georgia in the energy security of Europe.
According to him, during the conversation, emphasis was placed on the importance of the transit and logistics regional center. In addition, as Darchiashvili mentioned, the security environment in the region was discussed in detail.
"We talked about the growing importance of the Black Sea region in terms of security, economy, and energy. Considering the new regional context, we focused on Georgia's special role in ensuring Europe's energy security and the relevance of connectivity. We emphasized the importance of Georgia as a transit and logistics regional center. We discussed in detail the current security environment in the region, which has been severely aggravated as a result of Russia's full-scale military aggression against Ukraine. We exchanged information about active efforts to support Ukraine, be it political, diplomatic, or humanitarian. It was noted that Georgia was the first to experience Russia's aggression and its consequences," said Ilia Darchiashvili.
