Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

European integration is a vital issue for Georgia, President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Wednesday at a meeting with participants of an informal Eastern Partnership summit.

According to Saakashvili, the parliament is considering an initiative to reflect in the Constitution that Georgia will never enter any organization of post-Soviet space. But he said that this does not prevent the country from establishing relations with the countries of this region on individual basis.

"The countries, which previously communicated only in the CIS, Customs Union or other post-Soviet associations, have gathered today under the umbrella of the European Union. From the beginning, we assumed that this partnership will be filled with specific content, specific bilateral relationships, and that's what happened," Saakashvili said.

"Georgia is more strongly associated with the European direction, and I am confident that Europe sees Georgia as a reliable partner," Saakashvili said.

According to Saakashvili, after Georgia withdrew from the CIS, it was to some extent an alternative forum for the country and probably Europe's response to the situation that emerged in the region.

Saakashvili also noted that Georgia was working on the EU Association Agreement and it was important for the country to sign the agreement.

"I am ready to assist any government of Georgia in this regard. You know that there are many circumstances that can be problematic for Georgia taking into account the [current] processes. I am not pleased with that at all. European integration is a vital issue for Georgia," Saakashvili said.

On the same day, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili received participants of the informal Eastern Partnership summit. The meeting was attended by European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule, Vice President of the European Commission Siim Kallas, and representatives of the Eastern Partnership.

The parties discussed issues including cooperation in various fields within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, progress in the relations between Georgia and the European Union and the preparations for the Vilnius summit of Eastern Partnership to be held in November.

Ivanishvili stressed the importance of deepening the relations between the Eastern Partnership participating countries and the EU.

"These countries are well aware of where the real values are. The populations of all countries strive for the best. We thank Europe, which showed us the best path which we are happy to go," he said.