2016-11-07
In January 2017, the Prime Minister of Georgia will visit Italy, as was announced at today's meeting between Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Foreign and International Cooperation Minister Paolo Gentiloni of Italy. The parties discussed Georgia-Italy bilateral relations and Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
Special attention was paid to prospects of deepening cooperation in different directions, especially economy and education. The parties pointed out a great potential for further developing the economic relations and tourism between the two countries.
Georgia's progress on the path to European and Euro-Atlantic integration was also emphasized at the meeting. The discussion involved current challenges facing the region, issues pertaining to global security, and the situation in Georgia's occupied territories. Paolo Gentiloni reiterated the Italian Government's unwavering support of Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty and the country's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
After the meeting, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Paolo Gentiloni made joint media statements. Giorgi Kvirikashvili assessed Paolo Gentiloni's visit as a clear demonstration of the Italian Government's support.
"This visit is especially important to us, which we take as a clear demonstration of support from the Government of Italy. I am convinced that the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will give new moment to furthering the cooperation between our countries. At the meeting, we discussed in detail various aspects of our bilateral relations, also Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration, our country's growing geopolitical importance as a link between Europe and Asia, and regional and global processes in general. Given the challenges facing the world and our region today, we also discussed security issues, including the situation in Georgia's occupied territories," Giorgi Kvirkashvili stated.
According to the Prime Minister, Georgia continues its consistent and steady integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, which is the main priority of the country's foreign policy. During the meeting with the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, a need to expand the economic relations and the importance of attracting more Italian investments in Georgia were emphasized.
"Georgia-Italy cooperation in the fields of culture, education, and science is very dynamic. I believe that, in the foreseeable future, we will witness many successful project in these directions. In conclusion, I reiterate my excitement about the visit of Paolo Gentiloni, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy. I am pleased that we discussed the details of my upcoming visit to Italy, and I certainly hope that this visit in January will mark the establishment of new economic and cultural relations. I hope that, after this visit, our growing relations will progress with renewed vigor. We are all very enthusiastic about the future," the Prime Minister of Georgia pointed out.
Foreign and International Cooperation Minister Paolo Gentiloni of Italy thanked Georgia for hospitality and expressed hope that the relations between the two countries would deepen significantly in the near future.
"Certainly, you can count on Italy as your friend, a country that supports Georgia's path toward European integration and NATO. This path must be covered step by step, and Italy will support you every step of the way. Of course, Italy supports Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. There is immense potential for deepening our relations. Today the Prime Minister and I agreed that we could do much more. We can organize a business forum in Italy to put together Georgian and Italian business communities in order to boost our deepening relations. I am looking forward to the Prime Minister's upcoming visit," the Italian Foreign Minister stated.
Under the Georgian visit of the Italian Foreign Minister, two documents were signed today. These are "The Memorandum on the Agreement on Secondary Education Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy and the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia" and "The Executive Program of the Agreement on Academic and Cultural Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Italy and the Government of Georgia." The signing ceremony was attended by Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
Prime Minister's Press Offcie