We are looking forward to the EU’s enhanced engagement in promoting peace and security in the region. Such a statement made today the Minister of Foreign Affairs at a joint press conference after the meeting with Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

“This is a special day for our three countries as it is the first time we come to Brussels together as Associated Trio. We signed a memorandum of understanding a month ago, pledged to work together among three Associated partners, as well as work with the European Union on the matters of our European integration, including through dialogue formats in sectors of common interests. It is also one of the purposes of the Associated Trio to support and strengthen the Eastern Partnership, to better adapt it to specific situations in each partner country.

We will be working together with other Eastern partners and the EU to make the next Eastern Partnership summit another step towards stronger and more effective cooperation. Eastern Partnership is a dynamic policy founded on joint ownership of all participants, and responding the needs, capabilities and aspirations of each participant.

Unresolved conflicts with Russia remain the biggest challenge for European security as a whole. Russia’s attempted annexation and illegally occupation of Georgian and Ukrainian territories, as well as unresolved conflict in the Transnistria region of Moldova, has posed a serious threat to our security, democracy and economic development. Russia’s actions in the Eastern Partnership region have significantly destabilized Europe’s eastern frontiers. We are committed to the peaceful resolution of these conflicts and looking forward to the EU’s enhanced engagement in promoting peace and security in the region...

The current context of illegal occupation and steps toward de facto annexation of Georgian regions alongside, which has aggravated the human rights situation, can not be accepted. We must continue putting the peaceful settlement of the Russian-Georgian conflict very high on the political agenda of the EU”, - said David Zalkaliani.