'Georgia passes important part towards EU integration'

Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze called the beginning of formal dialogue with the EU on visa-free regime an important event. Agreement, which will enable the citizens of Georgia traveling to Europe without a visa will be signed in the result of the meeting, Vashadze told reporters.

He added that taking into account that negotiations on association and free trade have been held for a long time Georgia will have all four freedoms after the successful completion of these negotiations.

"It means that legally we will be at the same position as, for example, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. I want to emphasize one more point. In November 2008, when the country had just emerged from the war, the President of Georgia gave interview to Al Jazeera, in which he emphasized that in the near term in the election cycle, Georgia will start negotiations on an association agreement, free trade and visa-free regime. Then, some political forces are not perceived it very seriously. As far as the road leading to the European Union, Georgia has passed an important and impressive part of it," Grigol Vashadze stated.

In November 2011, eight EU countries at the meeting of foreign ministers voiced the initiative to start the negotiations on visa-free regime and free trade with Georgia, by sending a letter to four EU High Commissioners.

The agreement on "Simplification of visa issuance procedures" in a single package with the agreement on "Readmission of persons residing without permission" came into force between Georgia and the EU on March 1, 2011.


/Trend/