The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili has started bilateral meetings within the scope of his visit to Brussels.

Ilia Darchiashvili met with the Simon Mordue, the Chief Foreign Policy Advisor of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The main issue of discussions was the enlargement agenda and the European Council’s expected decision in this regard.

The minister provided the Foreign Policy Advisor with comprehensive information about the successful agenda of the reforms implemented by Georgia, including the action plan for the implementation of the European Commission’s recommendations.
 
It was highlighted that the country deserves to be granted the candidate status, and this is confirmed by the European Commission’s relevant recommendation of 8 November. The  sides expressed the hope that the European Council will make a decision and Georgia will move to the next stage of EU integration.
 

Discussions also focused on the format of the "Eastern Partnership" and its further development. The sides expressed the hope that this issue will be reviewed within the scope of the ministerial meeting, based on the interests and aspirations of the participating countries.

 The sides also exchanged views on the current situation in the occupied regions of Georgia. The Georgian side thanked the European Union for its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, for its involvement in the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict, and for its contribution to ensuring security on the ground.

 Ilia Darchiashvili, within the framework of the visit, also held a conversation with Gert Jan Koopman, the Director General of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations.

 The sides positively evaluated the ongoing intensive consultations between the Georgian authorities and the European Commission. They took stock of the progress on the implementation of the European Commission’s recommendations. Special mention, in this light, was taken of the action plan adopted on 27 November by the Governmental Commission for the Integration of Georgia into the European Union.

The sides once again gave a positive assessment to the European Commission’s recommendation to grant a candidate status to Georgia and expressed the hope that the European Council will make a decision on granting a candidate status to Georgia this week.

Ilia Darchiashvili thanked Jan Koopman for the Directorate's active involvement in the process and for its support for the implementation of the European Commission’s recommendations.