Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Georgia's Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze is in Brussels on a two-day working visit. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, Pandjikidze met with EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule and Deputy Secretary General for the External Action Service Helga Schmidt.

The main topics of the discussion were preparations for the initialing of the Association Agreement with Georgia and reforms necessary to implement it.

The two sides agreed that after the signing of the agreement at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, to be held on November 28-29, the focus will shift to the importance of Georgia remaining on track for the signature of this agreement next year and continue with reforms needed for its implementation.

They also discussed the recent October 27 presidential elections which have marked further progress on Georgia's democratic credentials. With the period of cooperation between president and prime minister from different political camps coming to an end Commissioner Füle emphasized that it was vital that Georgia remains a pluralistic democracy with effective checks and balances, further strengthening democratic institutions and promoting constructive relations between the ruling coalition and opposition.

He also recalled EU's concerns regarding the "borderization" activities along the Georgia's administrative boundary line and repeated EU´s support for Georgia's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

"This visit is especially important for Georgia on the eve of the Vilnius summit as another opportunity to show progress in European integration progress and to confirm readiness to perform the intended purpose for this summit," Georgia's Foreign Ministry reported.

Georgia started negotiations on the Association Agreement in July 2010. The Agreement will replace the 1996 agreement on partnership and cooperation with the EU.

Georgia expects that initialing the association agreement with the EU at the Eastern Partnership Summit be held in Vilnius on November 28-29. The Georgian government has announced that it will try its best to achieve certain results.