Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation, Transport

Edgars Rinkevics and Tamar Beruchashvili. Tbilisi, 26.11.2014. Photo: flickr.com

Foreign Minister Rinkevics said that Georgia and Moldova are countries which have made use of opportunities offered by the EU Eastern Partnership initiative in a successful and comprehensive manner, and have definitely become leaders. It is important that those achievements be appreciated at the Eastern Partnership Summit to be held during the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Foreign Minister emphasised that Georgia together with other countries which are ready for a closer integration, should be offered Road Maps for cooperation with the EU in a number of areas, for instance, in the energy sector and the Common Security and Defence Policy.

The Foreign Minister expressed hope that the EU-Georgia Association and Free Trade Agreement will be ratified in all EU member states, and Georgia will be able to fully benefit from the Agreement. The EU and Latvia will offer the required support for the implementation of the agreement, Foreign Minister Rinkevics noted.

In the context of the Riga Summit, arrangements for visa facilitation should be developed so that Georgian citizens can travel visa free to EU countries. This would facilitate direct contacts between various groups of the population, including businessmen. Edgars Rinkevics expressed hope that NATO-Georgia cooperation and support measures approved by the NATO Wales Summit will bring Georgia closer to the Alliance.

As regards Latvia-Georgia bilateral cooperation, the Latvian Foreign Minister called for closer economic and trade cooperation. The official visit to Georgia by the President of Latvia, Andris Bērziņš, and the business forum that brings together business people from both countries, will provide the necessary impetus for this cooperation, said Foreign Minister Rinkevics. The Minister also urged expanding cooperation in the field of higher education: Latvian universities are ready to offer world class programmes for young people from Georgia.

The Georgian Foreign Minister thanked Latvia for its steady assistance to Georgia on its path to integration with the Euro-Atlantic structures. Tamar Beruchashvili recalled that Latvia was among the first EU member states to ratify the EU-Georgia Association Agreement. Minister Beruchashvili also thanked Latvian officials for their staunch support for Georgia's territorial integrity.

Edgars Rinkevics condemned the agreement signed between Russia and the Georgian region of Abkhazia on 24 November. The agreement is against all provisions of international law and violates the principle of Georgia's territorial integrity as well as destabilising the region, the Latvian Foreign Minister stated.

Foreign Minister Rinkevics invited the Foreign Minister of Georgia to visit Latvia. The Ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Foreign Ministries of Latvia and Georgia with the aim of promoting contacts and cooperation between the diplomatic services of both countries. Both Foreign Ministers also agreed to continue an intensive dialogue during Latvia's Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2015.