Georgian FM meets OSCE Secretary General in Vienna
Geirgian FM David Zalkaliani met OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger spoke of the grave human rights and security situation in the occupied regions of Georgia. Photo: David Zalkaliani/Facebook
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Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, who is visiting Vienna as the Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), met with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger today.
Meeting with the #OSCE Secretary General @gremingerosce discussed the issues related to the cooperation btw CoE & OSCE, also grave human rights & security situation and recent developments in the occupied regions of Georgia pic.twitter.com/sVeCousntQ
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) January 30, 2020
Greminger said after the meeting that there is a close partnership between the OSCE and the CoE in a number of defined areas.
Close coordination and cooperation between the two organisations is essential and in that sense a regular briefing of the OSCE Permanent Council by the presidency of the CoE and vice versa is very important to consolidate and further strengthen this relationship”, Greminger stated.
Earlier FM Zalkaliani spoke of Georgia's key priorities during its CoE presidency at the OSCE Permanent Council as well.
Pleasure to address #OSCE permanent council in my capacity as t/chair of t/committee of the ministers of @coe The cooperation of OSCE&CoE based on common values of democracy, human rights, rule of low. Human dimension is solid link between t/activities of two organizations pic.twitter.com/yehSeXSGsw
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) January 30, 2020
Having become a member of the Council of Europe in April 1999, Georgia officially assumed the six-month presidency last November.
United States Ambassador to the OSCE James Gilmore said in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council earlier today that “Georgia’s leadership of the important European organisation” demonstrates its contributions to the international community. "Foreign Minister [David] Zalkaliani, the United States warmly welcomes you to the Permanent Council as the representative of Georgia's Presidency of the Council of Europe”, he said.
“Gamarjoba! I am delighted to be here finally”, new United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said upon arriving in the country earlier today. "It is an honor to serve as the US Ambassador to Georgia. I look forward to continuing the strong partnership America and Georgia have had”, Kelly Degnan said.
Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) Marija Pejcinovic Buric said at a news briefing with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in Strasbourg earlier today that Georgia’s presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers “is progressing well”. "I welcome all the works done by Georgia to promote and strengthen our values and standards and to raise awareness of the Council of Europe in the country but also in the South Caucasus area as a whole”, she stated.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has allocated seven million USD for a five-year education project in Georgia, the government of Georgia reports.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has delivered his first speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) as the head of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), stating that consolidated, international pressure against Russian illegal activities in Georgia and other countries must continue.“Situation in the Russian-occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali has become worse."
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia have congratulated Helga Schmid on becoming secretary general of the OSCE. At the 27th OSCE Ministerial Council on December 4, participating states appointed new senior leadership for the organisation, including Helga Schmid who replaced Thomas Greminger as secretary general.
OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will visit Georgia tomorrow. During her visit she will hold meetings with Georgian authorities, including President Salome Zurabishvili, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava.