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“Latvia and Georgia’s good relations stem from intensive political dialogue and active contacts between the people of both countries. As a member state of the European Union and NATO, Latvia has always encouraged Georgia to carry out reforms, and Georgia can continue to rely on our support,” this was stressed by Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Monday, 4 November, as she met in the main building of the Saeima with David Usupashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia.
Āboltiņa emphasised the deepening of bilateral relations between Georgia and the EU and highlighted the importance of plans to initial the Association Agreement at the Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in Vilnius. The Agreement could create new opportunities for economic cooperation between Georgia and the EU and could foster sustainable development in Georgia.
The Speaker of the Saeima also asserted Latvia’s readiness to do its best to make sure that the EU gives credit to Georgia for its progress in moving toward the European values. “Our country has developed cooperation with other countries in different formats in which we have always highlighted the Eastern Partnership,” Speaker Āboltiņa said and pointed out her recent participation in the meeting of the speakers of parliaments of the Nordic Countries and the Baltic States, which focussed specifically on the Eastern Partnership.
“The Vilnius Summit will be a turning point in the EU’s relations with its Eastern neighbours, and Latvia hopes that Georgia will be among the leading players in this process. This is important for our country both as an active advocate of the Eastern Partnership and as the presiding country of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2015, when we also plan to host an Eastern Partnership Summit,” stated Āboltiņa.
Speaker Usupashvili affirmed that the diplomatic relations between Latvia and Georgia are productive and developing continuously. In the context of the Eastern Partnership, Usupashvili noted that Georgia is close to reaching its goal, namely, to become integrated into the EU; he stressed that it attests to many years of effort by Georgia and to Latvia’s role as a cooperation partner and supporter. During the meeting, both parties agreed that cooperation within the Eastern Partnership should continue after the prospective Vilnius Summit.
Speaker Āboltiņa emphasised that Latvia and Georgia are linked by excellent parliamentary relations as proved by the fact that each country’s parliament has formed a group for interparliamentary relations with the other country and by a regular exchange of visits.
“I am convinced that positive political relations between Latvia and Georgia can underpin our practical cooperation, including economic cooperation,” the Speaker of the Saeima said, stressing that “to this end we have all the prerequisites, such as active embassies in Riga and Tbilisi.”
Georgia’s cooperation with the EU and NATO was also discussed. Speaker Āboltiņa pointed out: “Latvia commends the involvement of the Georgian government in the European and Euro-Atlantic integration and the progress Georgia has achieved in implementing reforms and combating corruption.”
Āboltiņa also confirmed that Latvia sees twinning programmes as an important platform for cooperation in various areas among the institutions and experts of both countries; she affirmed Latvia’s commitment to sharing its reform experience.
The Speaker of the Saeima congratulated Georgia on its recent presidential election as well.
During David Usupashvili’s visit to the main building of the Saeima, both speakers took part in the inauguration of the design of a postage stamp dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Latvia and Georgia.
Photos from the meeting are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima/sets/72157637295616133/
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Saeima Press Service