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• Secretary General meets Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia

  Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić in her meeting with Lasha Darsalia, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia, stressed the unwavering commitment of the Council of Europe to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, as well as support to Georgia’s European path.

  The Secretary General has confirmed her intention to keep the member states of the Council of Europe abreast of the human rights developments in conflict-affected areas through the bi-annual Consolidated Report on the conflict in Georgia. The latest Consolidated Report, covering the period from April to September 2023, has been published today.  

  The Organisation will continue to call for access to the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia for the preparation of future consolidated reports, as well as for the monitoring bodies of the Council of Europe, Pejčinović Burić said, also reiterating her support to broader reconciliation efforts through Confidence Building Measures on the ground.

  The Council of Europe is strongly committed to supporting Georgia’s European path and aspirations, Marija Pejčinović Burić stated. 

  Georgia has been a member state of the Council of Europe since 27 April 1999. The Council of Europe carries out co-operation activities in Georgia based on Action Plans. A new comprehensive Action Plan 2024-2027 will be officially launched in Tbilisi in January 2024.

• FM meets EU Commissioner for Energy

  Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ilia Darchiashvili met the European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson.

  According to the Foreign Ministry, the sides spoke about Georgia’s EU integration process and the significance of the European Commission’s recommendation to the European Council to grant candidate status to the country.

  The FM and EU Commissioner positively assessed Georgia-EU cooperation in the energy sphere, stressing Georgia’s role in ensuring the energy security of Europe with the Black Sea Submarine Electric Cable and other global energy projects that the country joined.

• Meeting of Ambassador of Turkmenistan in Georgia with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

  

  On November 7, 2023, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan in Georgia Mr. D.Seyitmammedov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Mr. I.Darchiashvili.

  During the meeting, the sides discussed priority areas of Turkmen-Georgian cooperation and prospects for further interaction on a wide range of bilateral relations.

  It was noted that, in recent years, Turkmen-Georgian relations have been successfully developing and strengthening on the bases of the principles of respect, trust and openness and are being built on a mutually beneficial and long-term basis.

  The participants of the meeting also noted that the policy of Permanent Neutrality pursued by the President of Turkmenistan clearly demonstrates its relevance in the modern age, opening new prospects and opportunities for comprehensive progress, strengthening and expanding fruitful international cooperation.

  During the meeting, the sides also discussed issues related to the organization of high-level bilateral visits as well holding regular political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries in Ashgabat in the near future.

• MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT OF TURKMENISTAN WITH THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL

  On September 18, 2023, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who is on a working visit to New York to participate in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

  Thanking President Serdar Berdimuhamedov for his personal participation in the global forum, the UN Secretary-General noted the active and proactive position of our country in cooperation with the Community of Nations.

  Welcoming the UN Secretary-General, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov congratulated him on the successful start of the 78th session of the General Assembly, expressing confidence that it will make an important contribution to strengthening global peace and security and promoting sustainable development on the planet.

  During the interested exchange of views on the priority areas of bilateral partnership, it was emphasized that Turkmenistan, guided by the principles of positive neutrality, is implementing a foreign policy aimed at ensuring the well-being of the peoples of the region and the whole world.

  As noted, our country unswervingly follows the generally accepted norms of international law and the principles of the UN Charter, which is called upon to act as the main regulatory body in international relations and solutions to problems caused by global challenges. In this regard, multifaceted cooperation with the UN is a strategic priority for Turkmenistan. Our country fully supports the initiatives of the world community, carried out under the auspices of the United Nations and aimed at ensuring peace, security and sustainable development.

  In this regard, the effective nature of Turkmenistan’s long-term interaction with the UN and its specialized structures was emphasized. This fruitful partnership is also embodied in the implementation of constructive initiatives of a regional and global nature put forward by the Turkmen side, in the joint implementation of major projects and programs in various fields.

• Conflict in Georgia: Secretary General’s Consolidated Report says little progress in human rights and humanitarian situation in conflict-affected areas

  Strasbourg, 19.04.2023 – Serious concerns persist regarding the human rights situation in the areas affected by the armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Georgia in August 2008, according to a report by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić presented to the Committee of Ministers and published today.

  The bi-annual report (covering the period November 2022–March 2023) on the conflict in Georgia highlighted that core issues concerning the human rights and humanitarian situation in the conflict-affected areas continue to see little progress. Various restrictions on freedom of movement and access to education and healthcare remain of serious concern, including in terms of their impact on vulnerable groups.

  Against the continuous impediments by the Russian Federation to peaceful conflict resolution, security, and stability in the wider region, the Secretary General welcomed Georgia’s continuous efforts and initiatives aimed at promoting dialogue and reconciliation, and their provision of free access to health care, education, and other social benefits for all residents of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as their efforts to address the needs of internally displaced persons.

  During the period under review, operational activities on Confidence-Building Measures were continued. The report, for instance, notes that archive specialists from both sides of the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) continued to work in online format and met in person, for the first time since the Covid-19 public health crisis. Efforts have been initiated to facilitate dialogue between psychologists specialised in war traumas and on the prevention of gender-based violence on both sides of the ABL. The development of further initiatives continues in close co-ordination with the Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality.

  Secretary General stressed that continuing her periodic reporting to the Committee of Ministers on the conflict in Georgia will remain a high priority.

  Note for Editors
  Consolidated reports on the conflict in Georgia have been prepared by the Secretary General since 2010, following a Committee of Ministers decision. The current report is based, inter alia, on the results of the fact-finding visit to Tbilisi on 13-14 February 2023. The delegation also had the possibility to observe the situation at the Administrative Boundary Line.

  The current Consolidated report examines, inter alia, the implementation of the European Court’s judgments in the two inter-state cases “Georgia v. Russia (II)”, concerning the armed conflict between Georgia and the Russian Federation in 2008 and its consequences, and "Georgia v. Russia" (I)” concerning arrests, detentions and expulsions from the Russian Federation of Georgian nationals in 2006-2007.

  On 20 April, the European Court of Human Rights is due to deliver a ruling on the inter-state application “Georgia v. Russia (IV)”, lodged by the Government of Georgia in August 2018, which concerns the alleged deterioration of the human rights situation along the administrative boundary lines between Georgian-controlled territory and Abkhazia and South Ossetia.