Georgia relies on Poland as a strong and reliable supporter  - Ilia Darchiashvili

According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili, Georgia and Poland share not only deep historical ties and long traditions of friendship, but also common interests and aspirations.

Ilia Darchiashvili noted this at a briefing held after the meeting with the Polish Foreign Minister, Zbigniew Rau.

According to him, Poland unwaveringly supports Georgia's European choice, which is the cornerstone of our country's foreign policy.

According to Darchiashvili, during the meeting with his Polish counterpart, emphasis was placed on granting Georgia a EU membership status, which, according to the minister, "will pave the way for our country to become a member of the European Union". Special note was taken of the voluminous work that the Georgian government has done for fulfilling the 12 priorities of the European Commission. "We expect that the progress of our country will be evaluated fairly and on merit, and both Georgia and the European Union will celebrate another historic decision," the minister added.

According to him, the meeting focused on the function of Georgia as a strategic link connecting Europe and Asia and the importance of connectivity. Emphasis was placed on the need to strengthen Europe's energy security and on Georgia's role in this process. In this context, the importance of the Black Sea submarine power cable was noted.

As Darchiashvili said, the sides clearly stated the importance of security in the Black Sea region. "Georgia remains one of the main allies of the European Union in the region and continues to participate jointly with the European Union in common efforts towards peace and stability in different areas of the world," the minister said.

The meeting also focused on the consequences of the Russian occupation in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Poland's significant contribution to the EU monitoring mission was especially noted.

"Of utmost importance, in the current situation, is our partners’ active involvement and firm position, in order to achieve peaceful de-occupation and the establishment of sustainable peace," the Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized.

According to the Minister, significant attention was paid to bilateral relations between Georgia and Poland and to the ways to maximize the potential in the fields of security, trade, economy, tourism and culture.

As Ilia Darchiashvili noted, the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, as the closest ally of Georgia, has a special significance. Poland plays an outstanding role in supporting Georgia's foreign policy priorities and in consolidating the international community.