On December 7, 2022, on behalf of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh G. Mammedova received credentials from the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Sierra Leone to Turkmenistan (with residence in Tehran) Aliye Badara Kamara.

On behalf of the head of state, the head of the national parliament congratulated the guest on his appointment to a responsible diplomatic post, wishing him great success in the noble cause of strengthening the ties of friendship and fruitful cooperation between the two countries.

Thanking for the cordial welcome on the Turkmen land, the diplomat conveyed to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the entire Turkmen people warm greetings and best wishes from the leadership of his country, expressing readiness to contribute in every possible way to strengthening bilateral cooperation.

During the conversation, the diplomat was informed in detail about the priorities of the foreign policy of independent neutral Turkmenistan, one of the most important aspects of which is the development of broad international cooperation, including with African states.

An interested exchange of views took place on the further development of inter-parliamentary cooperation, including on international platforms - within the framework of authoritative organizations and structures. The Ambassador was informed about the legislative activities of the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan.

Particular attention was also paid to interaction at the level of trade-economic and business relations, the activation of cultural and humanitarian contacts, the development of ties in the fields of science, education, sports and tourism.

In this regard, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Sierra Leone to Turkmenistan Aliye Badara Kamara expressed confidence in further building up constructive dialogue and good relations that fully meet the interests of the two countries and their friendly peoples.

In the first half of the day, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Sierra Leone to Turkmenistan (with residence in Tehran) Aliye Badara Kamara.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone presented copies of his credentials. Then the parties exchanged views on the development of friendly relations and political, trade, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

On November 30, 2022, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan V. Hajyiev and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to Turkmenistan (with residence in Baku) Mr.Thomas Schuller-Gotzburg, who arrived in Ashgabat to present credentials.

In course of the meeting the diplomats expressed the interest of Turkmenistan and Austria in establishing long-term cooperation in various areas of mutual interest. They also discussed the prospects for cooperation at the multilateral level and important issues on the UN agenda of mutual interest.

Emphasizing the important role of the foreign ministries in the development of cooperation between the two countries, the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria to Turkmenistan in 2021 was noted, during which the Program of Cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs for 2022-2023 was signed.

In frames of the meeting, Ambassador presented copies of his credentials.

In the afternoon, on behalf of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the Chairman of the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan G.Mammedova received credentials from the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to Turkmenistan (with residence in Baku) Mr.Thomas Schuller-Gotzburg.

The Chairman of the National Parliament congratulated the guest on his appointment to a responsible diplomatic post, wishing him success in strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The parties expressed interest in promoting trade and economic ties. In this regard, the importance of the Turkmen-Austrian business forum held on November 29, as well as the 11th meeting of the Turkmen-Austrian Joint Commission on business development and trade, which is taking place today in Ashgabat, was emphasized.

Cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian field was also discussed. In this context, it was noted that the Austrian-Turkmen Society, established in 2008, promotes various cultural events between the countries.

Thanking the Turkmen side for the wishes on the appointment to a high diplomatic post, the Austrian Ambassador to Turkmenistan assured that he would make every effort to further strengthen the Turkmen-Austrian relations.

Question about the event 

Ambassador Degnan: This conference is an important opportunity to bring together international and Georgian experts to talk about NATO’s comprehensive defense concept and Georgia’s approach to implementing that concept. Women play a central role in the comprehensive defense concept, and we will be discussing that more in the course of today’s conference. There are many examples in Georgia’s history when women have demonstrated the important role that they play in supporting the defense of their country.

That goes all the way back to King Tamar and many battles throughout this country where women have been essential in supporting the defense effort. This is just a modern version of that to ensure that the whole of society is prepared, whether it’s for a natural disaster like a flood or an earthquake or some kind of attack or malicious event. So there are many different aspects to NATO’s comprehensive defense concept, and we’ll be exploring those today.

Question about the European Parliament resolution 

Ambassador Degnan: The United States is not part of the European Parliament. I can say that we weren’t involved in drafting this resolution. I can say that we also regret the continuing polarization of the political environment here in Georgia, and we would certainly agree with the call for the political stakeholders here to come together and implement ambitious democratic judicial and anti-corruption reforms. This is work that is underway, and it needs to be done in an inclusive fashion. I think Georgia has a very good track record of submitting draft legislation like this to the Venice Commission and other European expert bodies for their feedback on whether it does indeed meet European Union standards. At a time when the next very important step on Georgia’s path to its European future is at hand, candidate status, it seems particularly important and worthwhile to submit draft legislation to the Venice Commission to get their assessment of whether the legislation that’s been prepared is compatible and meets European standards. The United States will continue, as we have for the past 30 years, to support the clear will of the Georgian people to live in a secure, stable, prosperous democracy. That is why we are such strong supporters of the people of Georgia’s aspiration for European Union membership and a Euro-Atlantic future. I would hope that all of Georgia’s political leaders, including the ruling party and the opposition, would come together now and make sure that the work that is being done for candidate status is going to meet European Union standards. This is the moment, and I sincerely hope that Georgia’s leaders will accomplish this goal for the people of Georgia.

Question about a news report on European Business Association 

Ambassador Degnan: I don’t know Mr. Lee, and I’m not familiar with the European Business Association, so I really don’t have a comment on this.

Question about the event

Ambassador Degnan: Today was a great opportunity to come to Parliament with our new USAID Mission Director, John Pennell. We had a chance to talk about the many different areas of cooperation and partnership that USAID has throughout Georgia, from economic growth to energy independence, basic education, vocational education, industry-driven skills development, and of course, democracy and governance. We’ve done a lot of good work over the decades with Parliament on developing its oversight capabilities and helping to draft legislation in a number of different important ways that also protect the human rights of Georgian citizens. So, this was a wonderful opportunity to introduce our new USAID Mission Director. As the Speaker himself pointed out, much of his career has been spent in the development sector, in civil society, and so it was useful for us to exchange views on just how important of a role civil society and development organizations play in any government, especially here in Georgia where we’ve had such a long partnership over the last 30 years. I would say in that respect, some of the attacks against civil society have been particularly surprising. As many of the Members of Parliament who have worked in civil society before coming into government know, civil society plays a critical role in a healthy democracy. It’s sometimes uncomfortable to hear feedback from civil society, but that is their role. Their role is to protect the interests of the citizens and to hold the government accountable. Sometimes that feedback is uncomfortable, but they’re not there to work for the government. They’re not there to work for particular political parties. They’re there to work for the public and the rights of the citizens and to hold the government accountable. I think Georgia is fortunate to have a number of very professional, strong civil society organizations that are doing exactly that, whether it’s helping to clean the air, address climate change, or to help develop regulations that protect workers that improve communities. Civil society works across so many different sectors, and I think we should appreciate the good work that they do every day. 

Question on new members of People’s Party

Ambassador Degnan: I’m not going to comment on the political developments in Georgia. I think the Georgian public can see very well what’s going on here. There is a confusing message coming from the government between aligning with those who seem to be moving to undermine the partnership between Georgia and the United States, and the statements from the Prime Minister and others about the importance of the partnership between the United States and Georgia and other strategic partners. I prefer to deal with facts. There’s plenty of disinformation and conspiracy theories out there. The facts are that for 30 years the United States has been committed to helping Georgia strengthen its security and supporting Georgia’s sovereignty. For 30 years, the United States has been supporting Georgia in developing its economy, in creating better jobs. I would say some of the good economic figures that we’re seeing in Georgia right now in part relate to the support that the United States, the EU, and other friends of Georgia provided to help cushion the outcome of the Covid pandemic and to help Georgia be in a good economic position coming out of this unprecedented situation, on top of the impact of the war or Russia’s war against Ukraine. For 30 years, the United States has also been trying to help Georgia build its democratic institutions so that the people of Georgia can have greater confidence that this country is moving toward a stronger, healthier democracy. That is what the people of Georgia have said they wanted for decades. The United States has been very proud and pleased to be able to help Georgia with all of those goals: stronger security, a stronger economy, and stronger democratic institutions. We look forward to continuing that partnership. Our meeting today with this speaker and his cabinet was a good chance to renew that partnership and to talk about the ways going forward that USAID and the US Embassy can continue to support Georgia on its path toward a Euro-Atlantic future. That’s what we all want to see: Georgia more fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family.

Question on de-oligarchization

Ambassador Degnan: The issue behind de-oligarchization in any country is how to address undue influence by anyone in the political or the economic processes of a country, anyone who’s trying to influence the operation of government and society through excess money or influence. It’s an issue that many countries grapple with, including my own. There are different ways that countries address undue influence in the political sector, and I think each country needs to debate that and come up with its own solution. I personally don’t think it’s always helpful to just borrow somebody else’s without tailoring it to the specifics of your country’s situation. There are many good examples out there that can be examined and crafted into something that is appropriate for Georgia, and the underlying problem, which is undue influence that affects the political will of the people. For instance, instead of having an election that reflects what the voters have voted, you have a distorted view because there’s been an undue influence on the process. What any law like this is meant to do is to try to ensure that there is transparency, accountability, and a level playing field so that the people’s voice is heard.

On September 26, 2022, the delegation of Turkmenistan headed by  the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Romania A.Annayev, participated in Bucharest in the opening ceremony of the Plenipotentiary Conference for 2022 (PP-22) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialized agency of the United Nations, is the leading international organization for digitalization at the global level.

The Plenipotentiary Conference is held every four years with an aim to elect ITU leadership, adopt its four-year strategic and financial plans, and to debate telecommunication, information and communication technology policies and priorities.  

Plenipotentiary Conference for 2022 (PP-22) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will continue from

26 September to 14 October, 2022.

On 19 September 2022, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili, held a meeting with the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Georgia, Zhou Qian.
The sides discussed a wide range of issues on the agenda of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Special attention was paid to successful trade and economic cooperation between Georgia and the People's Republic of China. It was noted that China has become one of the main trade partners for Georgia in recent years.
Discussions focused on the importance of exchanging high-level visits between the two countries. The sides reviewed  the possibility of taking appropriate steps in this direction and agreed on active cooperation.
The sides reaffirmed their unwavering and consistent support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other's countries.

MFA of Georgia

Yesterday we are launching a unique, global-standard project that is truly exceptional in our region. This project covers two artificial peninsulas, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated in his speech at Ambassadori Batumi Island’s time capsule burial ceremony today.

The event’s invited guests were also addressed by the Vice Prime Minister/Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili, the Chairman of the Government of Adjara, Tornike Rizhvadze, and the Cofounder of Ambassadori Batumi Island, Fridon Katamadze.

On 1 September 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilia Darchiashvili held a farewell meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Georgia, Ruben Sadoyan.
The Minister thanked the Armenian diplomat for his significant contribution to the development of relations between Georgia and the Republic of Armenia and wished him success in his future work.
At the meeting, the sides spoke about the fruitful cooperation between the two countries and prospects for its development.

MFA of Georgia

Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia met H.E. Ruben Sadoyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Georgia today.

The Chair of the Legal Issues Committee and the Head of the Georgia-Austria Parliamentary Friendship Group, Anri Okhanashvili held a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Austria, H.E. Thomas Mühlmann to discuss the scheduled visit of the Austrian MPs to Georgia and the political processes in the country.

“We are hosting the members of the Austria-Georgia Parliamentary Friendship Group in September; it is the visit, underlining the close cooperation between Georgia and Austria and the intact political and general support of Austria to our country. I informed His Excellency about the activity of the working groups set up in the Parliament within the fulfillment of the 12-point plan and the issues discussed within the groups”, - A. Okhanashvili stated.