Georgia proposes to advance relations with Romania to a strategic level, – Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated during today’s meeting with his Romanian counterpart, Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă.

According to the head of the Georgian Government, Romania is Georgia’s special partner and friend, and advancing bilateral relations to a strategic level will contribute to solving the issue in the areas of common interest.

The meeting emphasized the high level of political dialogue between the two countries, and the potential for further developing economic cooperation. The Prime Ministers underlined Georgia’s progress on the path to European and Euro-Atlantic integration and the importance of Black Sea security for ensuring common Euro-Atlantic security.

The subsequent enhanced-format meeting, which brought together the two countries’ Cabinet members, discussed the importance of the Caspian Sea-Black Sea International Transport Corridor. In this context, the Bucharest Statement signed in March by the Foreign Ministers of Georgia, Romania, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan was commended as a positive step forward. The special importance of the cooperation between Georgia’s ports and Romania’s Port of Constanta was also pointed out in that it offers ways to diversify international transport corridors connecting Europe and Asia via the territories of Georgia and Romania. The Prime Minister of Georgia thanked her Georgian counterpart for the said initiative.

Equally, the positive assessment was given to the active effort of Romania’s Presidency of the Council of the EU toward keeping the Eastern Partnership high on the European Union’s agenda.

“Romania is a staunch supporter of Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration. I am convinced that Georgia, through its own efforts, will become a full member of the EU, and we, as the country presently holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU, will support you on this path, and on your path to Euro-Atlantic integration. Georgia’s contribution to Euro-Atlantic security is invaluable, for which we are grateful to you,” – the Prime Minister of Romania stated during the meeting.

The conversation also touched on regional challenges and the state of affairs in Georgia’s occupied territories. The Prime Minister of Georgia thanked the Romanian Government for firmly supporting Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

After the meeting, the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between Georgia and Romania was signed by Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani and Romanian Minister of Culture and National Identity Valer-Daniel Breaz.