Azernews.Az

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

Georgian Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel, on December 4.

Beruchashvili and Kerry discussed the current situation in Georgia’s occupied regions, recently-signed "Alliance and Strategic Partnership" treaty between the so-called Abkhazia and Russia. The high-ranking diplomats also exchanged views on the regional and local security risks, and modern challenges facing Georgia in terms of independence and regional safety.

Following the meeting, Beruchashvili said Kerry was very supportive of Georgia and delivered very serious messages. "It was my first meeting with Kerry. He reaffirmed the United States’ support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying his country don't and will not recognize any treaty signed between Georgia’s occupied regions and Russia” she said.

She went on to say that the U.S. backs Georgia's Euro-Atlantic course, as Kerry promised a support in regard to implementation of the agreements reached at the NATO Summit in Wales and execution of democratic reforms.

As for her speech at the OSCE Ministerial Council, Beruchashvili said she drew attention to all challenges facing Georgia in these days.

"The OSCE Ministerial Council is a very important format of meetings where we can address current security challenges. Addressing at the meeting, I focused on the treaty between Abkhazia and Russia, and facts of human rights violation in Georgia’s breakaway regions,” she said.

Beruchashvili has already held bilateral meetings with Armenian, Romanian, Finnish foreign ministers, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Michael Georg Link.

The OSCE Ministerial Council, which is held annually, provides the foreign ministers and delegations from the OSCE participant countries, partner countries and several international organizations an opportunity to review and assess the organization's activities during over the past year and offer national viewpoints on security matters.