Mihkelson: Estonia continues to support Georgia’s aspirations
At today’s meeting of the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson with the Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia Eka Tkeshelashvili, the latter gave a thorough overview of the domestic policy developments in Georgia, the situation in the occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and the peaceful efforts of Georgia to restore the territorial integrity of the state de facto. In this context the Sarkozy-Medvedev peace plan, which Russia still does not fulfil and has even increased its military presence, was also discussed.
According to Tkeshelashvili, Georgia is using both diplomatic means and the possibilities embodied in promoting direct contacts between people to achieve its aims.
Tkeshelashvili also spoke about the humanitarian situation in occupied territories, describing it as the apartheid policy targeted against the citizens of Georgia. In these regions, it is also hard to get medical care and, for example, school education in Georgian in Abkhazia’s Gali district.
Mihkelson asserted that Estonia supported the territorial integrity of Georgia, considering it important to fulfil the Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement.
“We consider it very important to develop bilateral relations with Georgia, including the parliamentary cooperation between the two countries. We are always ready to support Georgia both in the EU and NATO direction, but Georgia’s success will largely depend on in what way and how consistently they will be able to carry out their internal political and economic reforms,” said Mihkelson.
The Foreign Affairs Committee will discuss the issues of Georgia and the relations of the two states in more detail at its meeting on 17 May, where the Ambassador of Estonia in Georgia Toomas Lukk is also invited.
The Riigikogu Press Service
