site.btaMeetings of President Plevneliev as Part of His Official Visit to Georgia

Meetings of President Plevneliev as Part of His Official Visit to Georgia

Tbilisi/Sofia, June 18 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rosen
Plevneliev held talks with his Georgian counterpart  Giorgi
Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili and
Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili as part of a two-day
official visit to Georgia on June 17 and 18.

During the talks, the sides exchanged opinions on matters on the
 regional and international agenda, with a focus on the need of
more connectivity in the Black Sea Region as a prerequisite for
more stability and security. The sides also underscored the
traditionally strong cultural and historic ties between the
Bulgarian and Georgian people that date back centuries.

President Plevneliev outlined Bulgaria's key advantages and
conditions for doing business, as well as the opportunities that
 Bulgarian companies seek for broadening their activity.

"Today Bulgaria and Georgia are an unavoidable factor in their
regions, they share common values and a common goal for
democratic and European development," he summarized the results
of the political talks he held on Wednesday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with President Giorgi
Margvelashvili on Wednesday, Plevneliev said Bulgaria firmly
supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia
and the right of the Georgian people to choose the path of
Euro-Atlantic integration, the Bulgarian head of State's press
secretariat reported. "Bulgaria does not recognize the so-called
 'agreements' between the Russian Federation and Abkhasia and
South Ossetia, which undermine the international efforts to
stabilize the situation in the region," Plevneliev underscored.

He voiced his country's firm support for Georgia's Euro-Atlantic
 prospects and recalled that Bulgaria was among the first
countries to ratify the Association Agreement with the EU,
including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. "Georgia
should continue the process of conducting reforms. The
successful completion of the process will improve Georgia's
capability to cope with the challenges that security and
stability are facing," Plevneliev said, quoted by his press
secretariat.

He also voiced Bulgaria's support for Georgia's candidacy for
NATO membership and recalled that Bulgarian and Georgian
servicemen participate together in the ISAF mission in
Afghanistan. 

At their meeting on Wednesday, Plevneliev and Margvelashvili
discussed the opportunities for strengthening the economic
cooperation and improving the trade in the Black Sea region. The
 two presidents also highlighted the potential for expanding the
 transport connectivity in the Black Sea Region through the
development of modern transport infrastructure between Europe
and Asia. Bulgaria supports Georgia's membership in the Energy
Community and this country is a key partner in the
implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor and the
diversification of the sources and routes of natural gas in
Europe, the Bulgarian head of State noted.

Also on Wednesday, Plevneliev visited the EU Monitoring Mission
in Georgia (EUMM) Headquarters. He talked with Head of Mission
Kestutis Jankauskas and with Bulgarian members. "Bulgaria
supports a strong presence and mandate of EUMM and will keep its
 commitment and contribution to the success of the mission,
which has no alternative," Plevneliev said, quoted by his press
secretariat.

The Bulgarian President was acquainted with the mission's
activity and underscored its role in the context of the new
challenges facing regional stability and security. Speaking with
 the Bulgarian members of EUMM, he praised their work and
underscored Bulgaria's commitment to contribute to the
international efforts for peaceful settlement of the conflicts
in the region, including through participation in an effective
EUMM in Georgia. Bulgaria has been part of EUMM since its launch
 in 2008 with 14 out of the mission's 250 members.

As part of his visit to Georgia, the Bulgarian President also
met with Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II. They noted the
traditionally good relations between the Bulgarian and Georgian
Orthodox church.

On Thursday, Plevneliev was in Batumi to take part in the 12th
International Conference "Georgia's European Way", organized by
the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and
Euro-Atlantic Integration.

Addressing the forum, Plevneliev said, quoted by his press
secretariat, that the policy of spheres of influence should
remain in the past. Sovereignty and the democratic choice of the
 Georgian and Ukrainian people should be respected, he noted.

"The game of the great powers continued for centuries on end.
Now the responsibility is ours. Let us unite, work for
connectivity and cooperate, produce and trade, live together and
 not enter into confrontations. Let us place regional stability,
 cooperation and reconciliation above everything," he told the
participants in the forum.

"The crises in Ukraine and the Middle East changed the security
environment and led to new threats to our regions. Bulgaria is
deeply concerned about the common security environment to the
east of our borders and in the Black Sea Region. The ongoing
political and military actions destabilize the region and
undermine the sovereignty of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova,"
Plevneliev underscored.

Plevneliev's programme in Georgia ended with a meeting with
Autonomous Republic of Adjara Government Chairman Archil
Khabadze.