Alexander NALBANDOV- nový mimoriadny a splnomocnený veľvyslanec Gruzínska v SR
3. máj 2011
 Alexander Nalbandov, nový gruzínsky veľvyslanec v Slovenskej republike, odovzdal 3. mája 2011 poverovacie listiny do rúk nášho najvyššieho predstaviteľa. Ivan Gašparovič na úvod stretnutia konštatoval, že slovensko-gruzínske vzťahy sú veľmi dobré, k čomu prispel aj predchodca súčasného gruzínskeho veľvyslanca. Slovenský prezident ďalej vyjadril presvedčenie, že Alexander Nalbandov bude úspešným nástupcom svojho predchodcu a zbližovanie vzťahov medzi našimi krajinami bude pokračovať. „Som presvedčený, že vaša misia na Slovensku bude úspešná a to nielen z pohľadu politického, ale aj hospodárskeho a obchodného,“ uviedla hlava štátu.

Podľa slov Ivana Gašparoviča má slovenská strana záujem o vzájomné investície v oblasti ťažby nerastných surovín v Gruzínsku, ale i pri hľadaní spoločných investícií v tretích krajinách. Naši odborníci by v Gruzínsku mohli pomôcť pri hľadaní geotermálnych prameňov, pri ťažbe nerastných surovín a v banskom priemysle. „Priestor pre hospodársku spoluprácu i zlepšenie našich vzájomných vzťahov je veľmi veľký, „ uviedol Ivan Gašparovič.

Alexander Nalbandov označil na stretnutí s hlavou štátu bilaterálne vzťahy za veľmi dobré. Vyjadril nádej, že sa mu podarí pokračovať v práci svojho predchodcu a prehĺbi tak fungujúcu spoluprácu v ekonomike. Nalbandov sa poďakoval za slovenskú podporu územnej celistvosti Gruzínska ako i za podporu Slovenskej republiky pre ašpiráciu Gruzínska vstúpiť do NATO. „Vaša podpora i vaše skúsenosti z členstva v Aliancii sú pre nás veľmi užitočné a významné,“ povedal nový gruzínsky diplomat. Na posilnenie hospodárskych a obchodných vzťahov bude podľa gruzínskeho veľvyslanca nevyhnutné obnoviť právnu základňu medzi oboma štátmi.
Alexander Nalbandov na záver stretnutia Ivana Gašparoviča informoval tiež o situácii v krajine po tom, čo 20 percent gruzínskeho územia obsadili vojská Ruskej federácie.
(http://www.prezident.sk/?spravy-tlacoveho-oddelenia&news_id=13157)

  Ocenenie veľvyslanca Gruzínska Zlatou plaketou MZV SR
Pri príležitosti ukončenia diplomatickej misie minister zahraničných vecí Slovenskej republiky Mikuláš Dzurinda udelil a 4. marca 2011 odovzdal mimoriadnemu a splnomocnenému veľvyslancovi Gruzínska v Slovenskej republike so sídlom v Bratislave Nikolozovi Nikolozišvilimu Zlatú plaketu Ministerstva zahraničných vecí Slovenskej republiky.
Ocenenie mu bolo udelené za „...významný osobný prínos, zásluhy a mimoriadnu angažovanosť pri budovaní a rozvoji bilaterálnych vzťahov a spolupráce medzi Slovenskou republikou a Gruzínskom...“
(zdroj: MZV SR, 7.3.2011, www.mzv.sk)

 
TV TA3: rozhovor-Téma dňa: Gruzínsko a NATO - hosť Giorgi Baramidze, podpredseda vlády Gruzínska (25.6.2010, od cca  12. minúty)
http://www.ta3.com/sk/relacie/5_tema-dna/9566_figel-a-matovic-o-udajnej-korupcii-gruzinsko-a-nato


SR-Gruzínsko: M.Lajčák rokoval v Tbilisi o ekonomickej spolupráci i politickej podpore
Tbilisi (MZV SR, 16.marca 2010) -
Prísľub podpory z najvyšších miest Gruzínska pre aktivity slovenských podnikateľov v krajine dostal minister zahraničných vecí Miroslav Lajčák počas rokovania so svojim rezortným kolegom Gregorym Vašadzem v utorok v Tbilisi. Obaja ministri diskutovali predovšetkým o ekonomickej spolupráci Slovenska a Gruzínska. Minister G.Vašadze označil za najperspektívnejšiu oblasť spolupráce výstavbu a prevádzku vodných elektrární, s ktorými má Slovensko dobré skúsenosti a disponuje potrebným know-how a na ktoré sa chce zamerať aj Gruzínsko. Minister M.Lajčák zdôraznil, že na zintenzívnenie podnikateľských aktivít musia mať obe krajiny potrebný právny rámec a ministri sa dohodli, že v čo najkratšom čase pripravia na podpis zmluvu o podpore a ochrane investícií a zmluvu o zabránení dvojitého zdanenia. Ministri sa tiež venovali aktuálnemu stavu integračného úsilia Gruzínska vo vzťahu k Európskej únii a Severoatlantickej aliancii. M.Lajčák svojmu gruzínskemu partnerovi odovzdal zoznam ponúk na pomoc Gruzínsku v oblasti transformácie a zavádzania európskej legislatívy a zopakoval pripravenosť Slovenska pomáhať Gruzínsku aj cez program Východného partnerstva EÚ. V súvislosti so snahou Tbilisi vstúpiť do NATO minister M.Lajčák zdôraznil podporu SR politike otvorených dverí Aliancie. Minister G.Vašadze ocenil ochotu i podporu Slovenska a vyzdvihol aj fakt, že v sprievode ministra je početná podnikateľská delegácia, ktorá sa zúčastnila aj na slovensko-gruzínskom ekonomickom fóre. Minister M.Lajčák sa stretol aj s prezidentom Michailom Saakašvilim, predsedom parlamentu a podpredsedom gruzínskej vlády. 
http://www.mzv.sk/servlet/content?MT=/App/WCM/main.nsf/vw_ByID/ID_C0B1D004B5A332B2C1257627003301E7_SK&AL=&OpenDocument=Y&LANG=SK&PAGE_NEWSVIEWMAINJDRK-7X8F93=7&TG=BlankMaster&URL=/App/WCM/Aktualit.nsf/(vw_ByID)/ID_F670E288082F1E5CC12576E90026987C

 The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili met the Foreign Minister of Slovakia
On 17 March 2010 the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili met the Foreign Minister of Slovakia Miroslav Lajcak. During the meeting the Slovak guest noted that his country is ready to express full support to Georgia in the process of European integration and to share his experience with Georgia.
“Thank you very much for your arrival and your permanent lobbyism in European structures. During last week I had several meetings with European leaders. I received the President of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Soares and the Prime Minister of Poland, as well as the President of European Peoples’ Party Martinez. After you I have a meeting with EBRD President Tomas Mirow. Nick Gilauri, the Prime Minister of Georgia had his official visit in Brussels. The Foreign Minister of Georgia was tasked by me to visit several European countries. In spite of many attempts of isolating Georgia internationally we on the contrary we are getting closer to Europe as never before.
I hope we will have achieved some results regarding simplification of visa procedures by summer, so that people will not have to stand in long lines. In maximum two years, I hope, Finnish and Polish initiative will be realized and the citizens of Georgia will not need visas to Europe and the regime of free trade will be activated”, stated the President of Georgia during his meeting with Miroslav Lajcak.
“We know what is needed to achieve success and what is the result of it, because our experience is new and we offer you it. We are honest mediators and we do not have any interest besides helping you. We wish to help you take the place we have achieved”, Miroslav Lajcak noted.
Press Office of the President of Georgia
http://www.president.gov.ge/?l=E&m=0&sm=1&id=3245

Information on the visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovakia Miroslav Lajčák to Georgia
On 16 March 2010 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovakia Miroslav Lajčák paid a visit to Georgia. In the frames of the visit, the Slovak Foreign Minister held a meeting with his Georgian counterpart, Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze.

	From Creeping to Sweeping Annexation:Implications of Russia’s Establishment of Legal Links with Abkhazia & South Ossetia (0,1 MB)
	NATO Backs Georgia in Dispute with Russia, Seeks Reversal of Recent Moves by Russia in Abkhazia (4/2008) (0,1 MB) NATO leaders met on April 28, 2008 with Georgian Special Envoy Davit Bakradze to discuss a series of increasingly dangerous Russian provocations against Georgia. In a statement following the meeting, the NATO allies “reaffirmed their strong support to Georgian sovereignty and territorial integrity” and note that in “their view, the Russian Federation should reverse the recent steps which undermine that sovereignty".

O. Algayerová na pracovnej návšteve Gruzínska

Štátna tajomníčka Ministerstva zahraničných vecí SR Oľga Algayerová uskutočnila v dňoch 20. - 23. mája 2009 pracovnú návštevu Gruzínska, počas ktorej sa stretla s podpredsedom vlády a štátnym ministrom pre európsku a euroatlantickú integráciu Giorgim Baramidzem, námestníkom
ministra pre hospodársky rozvoj Irakli Gachelidzem, námestníkom ministra zahraničných vecí Davidom Jalaganiom a predsedom Obchodnej a priemyselnej komory Jemalom Inaishvilim. Na Štátnej univerzite Ivane Javakishviliho v Tbilisi Oľga Algayerová vystúpila s prednáškou o skúsenostiach SR s členstvom v EÚ.
Partneri počas stretnutí zhodnotili stav bilaterálnych vzťahov, posúdili možnosti spolupráce predovšetkým v hospodárskej oblasti, prediskutovali otázky európskej a euroatlantickej integrácie Gruzínska po pražskom summite EÚ k Východnému partnerstvu a aktuálnej situácie na južnom Kaukaze.
Štátna tajomníčka sa tiež zúčastnila na oficiálnom otvorení Honorárneho konzulátu SR v Tbilisi.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to Georgia presented Letters of Credentials to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

19 May 2009, MFA, Press and Information Department
(http://www.mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=30&info_id=10258 
 On 19 May 2009, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to Georgia (with the residence in Ankara) Vladimir Jakabčin presented copies of credentials to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Davit Jalaghania.

MZV SR je znepokojené eskaláciou napätia na južnom Kaukaze

08.07.2008  vyhlásenie MZV SR (www.mzv.sk, www.foreign.gov.sk)

MZV SR vyjadruje rastúce znepokojenie v súvislosti s eskaláciou napätia v separatistických regiónoch Gruzínska, Abcházsku a Južnom Osetsku a s bombovými útokmi. MZV SR vyzýva všetky zainteresované strany, aby urobili opatrenia na zamedzenie pokračovania v tomto nebezpečnom vývoji.

SR sa dlhodobo zasadzuje za mierové riešenie konfliktov v Gruzínsku a oblasti južného Kaukazu a má záujem o ich usporiadanie v súlade s medzinárodným právom, rešpektujúc princíp suverenity a územnej celistvosti v rámci medzinárodne uznaných hraníc jednotlivých krajín vrátane Gruzínska. SR zdôrazňuje, že mierové riešenie konfliktov sa podarí dosiahnuť len prostredníctvom konštruktívneho dialógu zainteresovaných strán.

Vyhlásenie predsedu Výboru ministrov RE J. Kubiša ku konfliktom v gruzínskych oblastiach Abcházska a Južného Osetska
Štrasburg, 24.4.2008 - Minister zahraničných vecí SR a predseda Výboru ministrov Rady Európy (VM RE) Ján Kubiš je vážne znepokojený súčasným vývojom v konfliktných zónach Gruzínska a znova potvrdzuje svoj rešpekt voči nezávislosti a územnej celistvosti Gruzínska v rámci medzinárodne uznaných hraníc, ktoré znovu potvrdila rezolúcia BR OSN č. 1808 z 15. apríla 2008.
J. Kubiš víta opakované vyhlásenia ruských predstaviteľov a Štátnej dumy Ruskej federácie, ktorými potvrdzujú svoj rešpekt voči nezávislosti a územnej celistvosti Gruzínska v rámci medzinárodne uznaných hraníc. Berie tiež na vedomie ubezpečenia Ruskej federácie, že bude aj naďalej striktne dodržiavať pravidlá medzinárodného práva, ktoré zakazujú dodávky zbraní do oblastí konfliktov.
Predseda VM RE tiež berie na vedomie súhlas prezidenta Ruskej federácie s balíkom opatrení na normalizáciu vzťahov s Gruzínskom, ktorý ďalej prispeje k ekonomickému a sociálnemu rozvoju oblasti, voľnému pohybu osôb a spolupráci medzi národmi.
Predseda VM RE potvrdzuje svoju pokračujúcu podporu medzinárodnému úsiliu na dosiahnutie mierového urovnania vleklých konfliktov na území Gruzínska a víta fakt, že gruzínsky prezident vyšiel s novými mierovými iniciatívami na ich urovnanie. V tejto súvislosti predseda VM RE usudzuje, že nedávne rozhodnutie Ruskej federácie – oznámené ruským ministerstvom zahraničných vecí 16. apríla 2008 – nadviazať oficiálne vzťahy s inštitúciami de facto predstaviteľov Južného Osetska a Abcházska bez súhlasu vlády Gruzínska vyvoláva riziko ďalšieho rastu napätia v konfliktných zónach a podkopáva medzinárodné mierové úsilie, na ktorom sa Ruská federácia tiež podieľa. Predseda VM RE vyzýva Ruskú federáciu, aby znovu zvážila a neuplatnila svoje rozhodnutie, a všetky strany, aby sa zdržali akejkoľvek akcie, ktorá by mohla viesť k eskalácii napätia.
Predseda VM RE podporuje včerajšie vyhlásenie generálneho tajomníka Rady Európy k tejto záležitosti.
https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1260335&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=9999CC&BackColorIntranet=FFBB55&BackColorLogged=FFAC75

Minister J. Kubiš prijal veľvyslancov GUAM-u, 5.02.2008 
http://embassy.mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=2002&info_id=4254    

Minister zahraničných vecí SR Ján Kubiš prijal veľvyslancov Organizácie pre demokraciu a hospodársky rozvoj GUAM (Gruzínsko, Ukrajina, Azerbajdžan, Moldavsko).

Veľvyslanec Fuad Ismajlov, vedúci Zastupiteľského úradu Azerbajdžanskej republiky, ktorá v súčasnosti organizácii predsedá, tlmočil záujem GUAM o spoluprácu s krajinami Višegradskej skupiny (V4) a Európskou úniou. Minister J. Kubiš vyjadril podporu SR Organizácii pre demokraciu a hospodársky rozvoj GUAM a ocenil jej aktivity na pôde OSN a Organizácie pre bezpečnosť a spoluprácu v Európe (OBSE). V diskusii sa minister Kubiš zaujímal o aktuálny vývoj a perspektívy usporiadania tzv. zmrazených konfliktov na území troch členských štátov GUAM.

	Informácia o priebehu a výsledkoch oficiálnej návštevy ministra zahraničných vecí Slovenskej republiky Jána Kubiša v Gruzínsku v dňoch 26.-28.11.2007 (33,1 KB) http://www.rokovania.sk/appl/material.nsf/0/FC503650DD90121BC12573B00035EE39/$FILE/vlastnymat.rtf

J. Kubiš uskutočnil dvojdňovú návštevu Gruzínska
Minister zahraničných vecí SR a predseda Výboru ministrov Rady Európy Ján Kubiš uskutočnil v dňoch 27. a 28. novembra 2007 oficiálnu návštevu Gruzínska.
Počas návštevy ministra J. Kubiša prijala predsedníčka parlamentu Nino Burdžanadzeová, novovymenovaný predseda vlády Lado Gurgenidze a bývalý prezident a koaličný kandidát na post hlavy gruzínskeho štátu Michail Saakašvili. Témami rokovaní bolo posilnenie politického dialógu, hospodárska spolupráca a slovenská podpora euroatlantickým ambíciám Gruzínska.
Minister J. Kubiš sa stretol aj s predstaviteľmi parlamentnej a mimoparlamentnej opozície vrátane opozičných prezidentských kandidátov a so zástupcami gruzínskych mimovládnych organizácií. Na ďalších stretnutiach
s osobitným predstaviteľom generálneho tajomníka Rady Európy v Gruzínsku Igorom Gaonom a zástupcom vedúcej Misie Organizácie pre bezpečnosť a spoluprácu v Európe (OBSE) v Gruzínsku Veselinom Nikolajevom diskutovali o aktuálnej vnútropolitickej situácii v Gruzínsku pred nadchádzajúcimi prezidentskými voľbami.
(MZV SR)
Informácia o priebehu a výsledkoch oficiálnej návštevy ministra zahraničných vecí Slovenskej republiky Jána Kubiša v Gruzínsku v dňoch 26.-28.11.2007:
http://www.rokovania.sk/appl/material.nsf/0/FC503650DD90121BC12573B00035EE39/$FILE/vlastnymat.rtf

Information on the meeting between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Slovakia     
On 27 November 2007 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Gela Bezhuashvili met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Chairman of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Ján Kubiš.
The sides discussed main aspects of the existing relationship between the two countries, cooperation in the frames of international organizations and the issues of regional security, as well as international developments of topical importance. The Ministers also focused on forthcoming presidential elections scheduled to take place in Georgia on 5 January 2008 and exchanged their views over the current situation in Georgia.

 Following the meeting, the sides held a joint press conference.

Mr. Gela Bezhuashvili:

Greetings!

Today we are playing host to Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovakia Ján Kubiš, Chair of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

During the meeting we discussed the issue of presidential elections in Georgia. Slovakia as you are aware holds the chairmanship of the Council of Europe and it is in our interests that the international community, European Union, OSCE and the Council of Europe take an active part in the preparation of the elections. We are also interested to involve as many observers as possible in the elections. There is   firm commitment and readiness to ensure that. We’ll offer maximum amount of support to all observers due to arrive in Georgia because it is our national interest to hold free and fair elections that will translate into the Government capable to keep up the trend of reforms launched by the Georgian Authorities 4 years ago.

We also discussed our bilateral relations with special emphasis on the tremendous potential, especially economic, of these relations and the need to reach concrete results. We are determined to support concrete investors and concrete businessmen. We agreed to sign a number of agreements, in particular, on the promotion of investments and avoidance of double taxation that will contribute to effective cooperation among businessmen.

We reaffirmed that the priorities and objectives of Georgia’s foreign policy remain unaltered. Georgia’s integration into the European Union and NATO is still our main priority. In this context we stand resolute to cooperate with Slovakia in the framework of all the international organizations into which we aspire to integrate.

In this light, we underlined the necessity of continuing cooperation in order to start and conclude over the next year negotiations with the European Union on the issues of free trade and simplification of visa regime. This is our objective and we’ll work with the European Union and its member states to fulfil this objective.

As for NATO, our ambition is to accede to Membership Action Plan in 2008 but we have to do a good deal of work for this. We stand ready to continue our intensive cooperation in the frames of Intensified Dialogue with both: Alliance and NATO member states.

We also reviewed our relations with the neighbouring countries. There is a good dynamic of regional cooperation. One example is our strategic partnership with Turkey and Azerbaijan but this project is not restricted only to three countries; rather, it is open for the entire region, for all of our neighbours, in order that we all could derive benefits of this economic cooperation.

We also highlighted global issues, which we are far from relegating to the backgrounds. I mean the current developments in Europe, situation in the Balkans, state of security in the region. Tomorrow we are both leaving for Madrid where a meeting of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers will be held to deal with a great number of important issues. Today we used the opportunity and held consultations with the Minister.

We also focused on resolution of the territorial conflicts in Georgia. We shared with our colleagues our approaches to and vision of this issue. Conflicts need to be solved and in this process we stand ready to cooperation with all sides. We want all partners involved in this process to adopt a positive approach and we want the Russian side to give up its permanent attempts of violation of Georgia’s territorial integrity. We want Russia to be a positive player, to play a positive role. But this process needs to be a result-oriented process, rather than a process for the sake of process.

In this regard we enjoy the international community’s full understanding and it is with a deep sense of gratitude I’d like to refer to the role of Slovakia in providing support to Georgia. Now let me welcome again my colleague from Slovakia and give him the floor. 

Mr. Ján Kubiš:

Thank you very much Mr. Minister. I am very glad to be here and I am very glad to confirm, first of all, that our bilateral relations are developing rather well. We have intensified our political dialogue and this is not the first meeting we have this year, this is the second meeting as bilateral meeting, but we’ve also seen each other at different multilateral fora, and I am here for official visit, therefore we need to discuss the issues of bilateral relations. Unfortunately, this good and unproblematic situation in our bilateral ties is not well reflected in our economic cooperation, so we would like to see more of that and I will continue my discussion also with the Prime Minister on the topic. We would like to see at least one good example of good economic cooperation between the two countries, because that might be a good incentive and also a matter for others to replicate. Then of course there are other areas and we feel that as countries with similar histories and with the same vocations we should also know more about each other and we talk about how to deliver more information about our respective cultures and we will be looking towards receiving more, for example, cultural troops and exchanges from Georgia, but also to come here and show our cultures from Slovakia.

We indeed look at Georgia as the partner that is going through the same path as we did in Slovakia. Also some time ago we have started our transformation, we have in the meantime reached the talking station of the European Union and NATO, we are members of both EU and NATO and we always feel very strongly about similar vocations and similar countries and Georgia has the same vocation, so I am very glad to confirm that we would be ready to support this vocation in every appropriate way. We would be happy give a supporting hand to Georgia not only in practical cooperation and European neighbourhood policy, but also in many very pragmatic areas like visa facilitation or free trade area and we will be talking about this later on.

NATO, indeed I am very glad to hear and confirm what I heard that Georgia is willing to continue with the good cooperation under the Intensified Dialogue and at the same time has a strong Trans-Atlantic vocation and would like to get the membership action plan, whenever the conditions are right. We need to understand better the feeling of the population of Georgia and the resolve of Georgia also in the wake of preparing ourselves for the NATO Summit meeting in Bucharest this spring, we need to give right messages from that summit to Georgia, we need to hear exact messages also from Georgia between now and the summit meeting, and this is what we will be working on is the sovereign matter of Georgia to decide on its course, since, as I have said, we share the same fate, and I have no doubt we’ll share the same future. We will be ready to work with Georgia on that.

The issue of cooperation with NATO is also coming very strongly from the prospective of an immense contribution of Georgia to different practical areas of cooperation with NATO and I would like to command our Georgian friends and those gallant men and women in uniforms who are serving together with our soldiers in different peace operations. There are many of them and I would like to acknowledge very highly the excellent performance of our Georgian friends also in this kind of operations.

The issue of elections was mentioned and indeed next year is for Georgia an election year, since on January 5 is the presidential election and then in the course of year there are the parliamentary elections, so it is very clear that the elections will be very much on the agenda of Georgia first of all. But of course as friends of Georgia, the international community is also watching what is happening here and sound and quality election is a very important element in building further relations between our countries and Georgia. Here I am not only as the Head of Foreign Ministry, but also as the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and I would like first of all to say that we command the authorities for lifting the state of emergency, we know that the election preparations are in the full swing, I have been meeting and will be meeting with different political parties and presidential candidates just to feel the situation. But I am coming also with one or two messages that we have registered also then discussing the situation here be it in the circle of the Council of Europe ministers or EU Ministers and to this extent also NATO ministers, very often these are the same people. One of the messages is about the appropriate election conditions that first of all mean free and fair appropriate media situation. It is indeed essential to ensure that the media can act freely without any problems, without any hindrances that there is full access to media as appropriate again, according to the election legislation of all political parties be it in the Parliament or outside the Parliament supporting this or that presidential candidates and the candidates of course. Here I would like to mention one case that I raised also in my discussion with Mr. Minister. This is the case of Imedi TV station and we hope that this case will be soon solved, because that is an indicator as well of the healthy atmosphere here.

The second question is indeed about the possibility that is given to all political parties and candidates to act freely in the pre-election period to be able to propagate their candidates and ideas without hindrances, to feel also that they are not under pressure and that they can work in the country. So, that is the second message and wish that we are extending.

The third is that there were some popular manifestations, demonstrations that took place here in the country recently and of course as a result of that there were questions raised both by the authorities with regard to the acts and activities of some political representatives, I know that some even criminal proceedings were open against some of them, it is also important that these cases are investigated and closed as much as possible, because when there are too many open cases pending that effects also the election  environment and secondly of course since there are complaints about the behavior of police and other forces it necessary to investigate that as well.

But I am very glad to confirm that OSCE that is a friendly partner organization of the Council of Europe is considering how to act and there is a needs assessment mission sent by the election branch of the OSCE institution called ODIHR, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, and if I am not wrong they issued the report today or yesterday in which they are confirming their intention to send observers, first of all long-term observers and then a good number of short-term observers for the election.

This is from my prospective a very good sign because it is telling me that according to this assessment it is possible to send observation mission because it is possible to have good quality election in the country. That is an important statement that I would like to make here because there are some other countries to which ODIHR refrain from sending election observers simply because they do not consider the conditions right for or conducive to free and fair elections, so it is important that the authorities of the country are strongly inviting foreign observers and I would like to have as many as possible of them and this is one of the messages that I brought from colleagues in the OSCE, Council of Europe and the European Union as well, including Parliamentary Assemblies.

The last point indeed is about the territorial conflicts and I prefer that to the description of the frozen conflicts, although unfortunately many of them are frozen indeed and we will discuss later on during our working dinner the issues of this kind and I would like to confirm that Slovakia as member of OSCE, UN, EU, NATO is very much interested in appropriate solution of the conflicts that will and must respect for the territorial integrity of Georgia, it is important for us, this is the principle for the international law and we will follow in this case very strongly. Slovakia has been following this also in the past two years, since we have been serving as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and we are there till the end of the year and we will act the same way also when we will left the Security Council.

So once again I am very glad to be here. As you see I have bilateral and strong interest to develop the ties and since the country is moving into the pre-election period I have mentioned also some of the issues from the prospective of our Chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Thank you very much.

Question (TV Company "Rustavi-2”): How would you assess the fact that Russia set up polling stations in Abkhazia and Ossetia. Can it be viewed as a violation of Georgia’s sovereign rights? How will Europe and the International community react to that? What action will Georgia take? And another question: Russia extended General Chaban’s mandate by 5 months. What kind of reaction is expected given that Chaban is declared persona non grata in Georgia?

Mr. Ján Kubiš:

To the first question I would like to say that we discuss this matter with Minister Bezhuashvili, he raised this issue with me. Before going any further I would like also to inform that I will raise this issue in my meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov of Russia.  I will see him during the OSCE Ministerial Meeting and of course then based on that discussion I will consider further steps also from the prospective of us being in the Chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Mr. Gela Bezhuashvili

The fact that Russia despite Georgia’s negative reaction to conduction of elections in Abkhazia and South Ossetia is still determined to hold parliamentary elections is considered by us as an unfriendly act against Georgia. Because it is inadmissible for one country to take such an irresponsible decision without consent of another country. It is still open to question and our European colleagues too are interested how Russian citizens appeared on this territory, the status of our fellow citizens on the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is illegal. They were granted Russian passports, Russian citizenship just like humanitarian assistance on the territory of the sovereign state that is totally inadmissible. There can be no talk of the legitimacy of such elections and we are sure to receive a very serious international support. The votes obtained by the State Duma on the territory of a foreign state are far from legitimate. As for General Chaban, printed media sources today reported that this decision was made by the CIS Council of Defence Ministers. I’d advise you to read our legislative analysis and you’ll see that from legal standpoint this decision has no effect because: first, Georgia does not take part in this  Council and second, the issue of extending the mandate of peacekeeping commander does not come within the competence of the Council of Defence Ministers. So it is a lie and it was done specifically to work up another provocation. Decisions on the extension of mandate are made by the Council of Foreign Ministers. From 2006 onwards, Georgia registered several times its negative position to this issue. This decision therefore has no legal effect and can be viewed as Russia’s another attempt to lead the international community and its own people into error. Georgia will reaffirm its negative position with respect to this person at the next session of the Council of Foreign Ministers. This person is unacceptable to Georgia and will remain as such until he leaves the territory of Georgia. It is yet another fact demonstrating vividly that not only international norms but CIS regulations and principles are also neglected that is very regrettable, given Russia’s ambition and claim to the leader’s role in CIS.

Question (TV Company NTV): 5 January 2008 will be the date not only for presidential elections but also for a plebiscite to decide weather Georgia wants to accede to NATO or not. Can you tell us of any such precedent in Slovakia? And what weight can be placed on a plebiscite in such case? And another question for the Foreign Minister of Slovakia: rallies were held not only in Georgia but in Russia as well where detentions were also reported. Among detainees was Gari Kasparov as well. How does the European Union assess the rallies held there?

Mr. Ján Kubiš:

First of all concerning NATO vocation, of course we cannot anticipate and I do not anticipate what might be the signals and results of the plebiscite at that question concerning NATO, is that for population of the country to express its will and they will express their will, but no doubt whatever the result is it will be very carefully considered and notably in preparation for the NATO summit meeting in Bucharest in April. And carefully considered from the prospective of shaping up our relations, NATO-Georgia relations, NATO-Georgia cooperation, how to work in the future. So, yes, we are looking forward to what will be the result, Slovak experiences from this prospective are not applicable, I can explain the situation, but indeed they are not applicable. In my country eventually it was obvious that support for be in NATO or the European Union was pretty strong, but again it is the matter of every country, so even from that prospective, it is indeed the choice of the citizens of the country and no one else’s. With regard to demonstrations in Russia, we issued the statement after the demonstrations, after the arrests of different opposition leaders, expressing definitely our concern, be it from the prospective of Foreign Minister of my country or be it from the prospective of our Chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. And we appealed to the authorities to release all those that were arrested and to refrain from this kind of actions in future.

Mr. Gela Bezhuashvili:

As for our approach to this plebiscite, we are fully aware that the majority of the Georgian population supports Georgia’s integration into NATO. Anyway this plebiscite will help us assure NATO members that accession to the Alliance is not just the wish of the President of Georgia, Government or the existing administration. Rather, it is the wish of the Georgian population to be integrated into the democratic organisation based on the values and principles such as rule of law, human rights and collective security. It can be seen as yet another of endeavours to demonstrate that Georgia’s integration into NATO is built upon our population’s serious and extensive support.

As for the rallies held in Russia, we have recently heard too many lectures from the Russian side as to the state of democracy in Georgia. In this light we would like to remind the Russian side of one biblical truth: First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye’.  I don’t want to make any comments on the ongoing processes in Russia for they speak for themselves. One point is clear: Georgia remains a beacon of democracy within the post-soviet area and in years to come Georgia may serve as an impetus of the transformation process in Russia itself. Thank you. 

27 November 2007 / Press and Information Department (www.mfa.gov.ge)

Vyhlásenie MZV SR k incidentu v Gruzínsku
Tlačový a komunikačný odbor Ministerstva zahraničných vecí SR
(Publikované dňa: 08.08.2007)
MZV SR vyjadruje znepokojenie nad incidentom s odpálenou raketou v blízkosti dediny Šavšebi v Gruzínsku.
Táto udalosť je o to znepokojivejšia, že k nej došlo v oblasti zamrznutého konfliktu.
MZV SR preto podporuje výzvy na dôkladné medzinárodné vyšetrenie incidentu
a posúdenie všetkých dôkazových materiálov, ktoré sú k dispozícii.

Algayerová na pracovnej ceste v Gruzínsku a Arménsku

Official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Gela Bezhuashvili to the Republic of Slovakia

Gruzínsky veľvyslanec odovzdal poverovacie listiny
3. október 2006