Georgia’s basic foreign policy is to restore national unity and territorial integrity, join NATO and the EU, strengthen regional cooperation while also taking into account the development of relations with Eastern countries, with the priority being conflict mediation. We attach great importance to developing friendly and cooperative relations with neighboring countries such as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and Ukraine. After the Georgian parliamentary election in October 2012, the government was reorganized. The current government advocates improving relations with Russia.
As of June 18, 2012, Georgia has established diplomatic relations with 170 countries. Relations with China
On June 9, 1992, the Republic of China and the Republic of Georgia established diplomatic relations. In October of the same year, China established an embassy in Georgia. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Georgia, relations between the two countries have developed smoothly.
On June 9, 2012, President Hu Jintao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi exchanged congratulatory messages with Grenadian President Saakashvili and Foreign Minister Vashadze respectively to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Grenada. In September, Li Zhaoxing, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, and Wan Jifei, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, visited Georgia.
In 2012, Georgia became an outbound tourist destination for Chinese citizens.
Relationships with Russia
In August 2008, the situation in the conflict area between Georgia and South Ossetia deteriorated sharply. Large-scale armed conflicts broke out in Austria. On August 26, Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and later signed treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the two regions. Georgia withdrew from the 1994 agreement on mediating the conflict in South Ossetia and demanded that Russia withdraw its troops from Georgian territory. On August 30, Georgia and Russia severed diplomatic relations. Russia emphasized that its position on recognizing the independent status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia will not change.
In 2010, direct flights between Tbilisi and Moscow were resumed as charter flights. Under the constraints and promotion of the United States and Europe, Saakashvili stated that he would renounce the use of force to resolve territorial issues in order to better implement the ceasefire agreement, as long as Russia recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and withdraws its troops from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. , is willing to launch a comprehensive dialogue with Russia. Russia has stated that it is willing to normalize relations with Georgia as long as the Saakashvili regime is not in power. In April 2011, Russia began to implement a visa-free system for Afghanistan and South Africa. After Ivanishvili became prime minister in October 2012, he expressed his desire to improve relations with Russia and appointed a special representative for relations with Russia. In November of the same year, Siberia Airlines resumed direct flights between Moscow and Kutaisi, the second largest city in Georgia. In January 2013, the Prime Ministers of Georgia and Russia held a brief conversation during the Davos Forum. The two countries have also established a working-level talks mechanism, and have held two talks so far.
Relationship with the United States
The United States supports Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, does not recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, supports Georgia’s accession to NATO, and provides economic and military assistance to Georgia. . After the conflict between Georgia and Russia broke out in August 2008, it provided $1 billion in aid to Georgia. In 2011, the Millennium Challenge Foundation increased its assistance to Grenada and decided to provide another US$150-250 million in assistance to Grenada to repair roads and hospitals.
Join the US-led international anti-terrorism alliance and vigorously develop bilateral relations between Georgia and the United States. After the conflict between Georgia and Russia, it actively sought support from the United States.
In 2011, Georgia and the United States exchanged frequent visits, and their political, economic and military ties and cooperation became closer. The two sides held talks on economic, trade and energy affairs within the framework of the "Georgia-U.S. Strategic Partnership Charter" and discussed issues such as the United States providing assistance to Georgia and helping Georgia develop its economy. In July, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution involving Georgia to support the territorial integrity of Georgia, recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as areas occupied by Russia, call on Russia to withdraw its troops from the above-mentioned areas, and allow refugees and international observer groups to return to Afghanistan and South Ossetia. Georgian President Saakashvili visited the United States in March 2011, January and May 2012 respectively. In October 2012, US President Obama sent a letter to Georgia's new Prime Minister Ivanishvili, congratulating Georgia on its successful democratic election and expressing his desire to deepen bilateral relations and cooperation.
Relationships with Turkey
Georgia regards Turkey as an important strategic partner and hopes to use Turkey's influence to speed up the process of joining NATO. The two countries have close economic and trade relations and frequent exchange of visits.
President Saakashvili said that Georgia-Turkish relations have exemplary significance both in Europe and in the region. In 2010, the Turkish Armed Forces General Staff provided eight vehicles and logistics equipment worth US$1.5 million to Georgia. The two countries discussed a high-voltage power transmission and transformation project along the Black Sea coast and made progress in facilitating the customs clearance procedures for goods and personnel at border ports. In 2011, the two countries strengthened cooperation in the fields of developing bilateral economic and trade relations, Turkish investment in Georgia, and military education and logistics support. Turkey donated military supplies and logistics equipment worth US$1.7 million within the framework of the bilateral military cooperation agreement. In June 2012, the foreign ministers of Georgia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan issued the "Trabzon" Declaration after a meeting in Trabzon, Turkey, emphasizing that the three countries would strengthen cooperation and jointly maintain peace and stability in the Transcaucasus region. In July 2012, Turkish Defense Minister Yilmaz visited Georgia, and the two sides exchanged views on cooperation in the fields of national defense and military affairs. Turkey is Georgia's largest trading partner.
Relations with other countries
Ge actively develops relations with neighboring countries.
In 2011, relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan developed steadily. On January 18, Foreign Minister Vasadze visited Azerbaijan. The two sides signed a secret information protection agreement and discussed border demarcation issues. In May 2011, Azerbaijan decided to provide an additional loan of US$575 million to Georgia to complete the Baku-Ahalkaraki-Kars railway project.
Relationships between Georgia and Armenia progressed smoothly in 2011. Georgian President Saakashvili, Prime Minister Girauli, and Foreign Minister Vasadze visited Georgia, and Georgian President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Prime Minister Tigran Sarki visited Georgia and exchanged views on bilateral cooperation, mutual recognition of civil compulsory traffic insurance and border management, regional security and stability and other issues. In July 2012, Foreign Minister Vasadze visited Asia. The two sides exchanged views on developing Georgia-Asia relations and strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
In 2011, the bilateral relations between Georgia and Ukraine developed well. In July, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Grishchenko visited Georgia and reiterated that Ukraine regards Georgia as an important partner and will not recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In June 2012, Foreign Minister Vasadze visited Ukraine, and the two sides exchanged views on further developing bilateral relations and other issues.
In 2011, Georgia and Iran began to implement a mutual visa exemption system.
In addition, Georgia will also actively develop relations with European countries and explore issues of cooperation with European countries in various fields and Georgia's accession to the Treaty. The President, Speaker, Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister of Georgia have visited Romania, Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Croatia, Finland, the United Kingdom, France and other countries many times to discuss relations with various countries, bilateral and multilateral Exchange views on international cooperation, investment, energy security, anti-terrorism and other issues, and attend international conferences.
European leaders and government, parliamentary and military delegations frequently visit Georgia, including Sweden, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Estonia, Poland, Latvia, Norway, Romania and other countries, to discuss Georgian political and economic reforms, Bilateral relations and cooperation, energy security, regional security and military cooperation, Georgia-Russia conflict mediation, Georgia's accession to the Treaty and other issues.
In May 2011, the Georgian Parliament decided to unilaterally provide 350 days of visa-free entry to citizens of Serbia, Iraq, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Relationships with international organizations
Georgia actively develops cooperation with international organizations including the GUAM Group, the European Union, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, etc. organizational relationships.
Georgia attaches great importance to GUAM and advocates cooperation under the umbrella of this organization. On September 20, 2010, Foreign Minister Vasadze attended the 12th meeting of the GUAM Foreign Ministers Council held in the United States to discuss the action plan within the framework of GUAM and evaluate the implementation plan.
Georgia actively develops relations with the EU and conscientiously completes the European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan.
In 2012, senior Georgian officials visited the EU several times to discuss issues such as the domestic situation in Georgia, Georgia's relations with the EU and NATO, the Georgia-EU free trade area and simplified visa system, the regional situation after the conflict between Georgia and Russia, and the activities of international observer missions in Georgia.
The EU actively mediates the conflict between Georgia and Russia, provides humanitarian and financial assistance to Georgia, dispatches EU observers to Georgia, and establishes an EU-Georgia Cooperation Committee to discuss the implementation of EU neighbor policy and EU participation in mediating the conflict between Georgia and Russia, and supports Georgia. territorial integrity and sovereign independence. In 2011, the EU provided a financial allocation of 26.2 million euros to the Georgian government, of which 21.1 million was used to resettle refugees in Poti, Batumi and Tskaltupo regions, and 5.1 million was used to assist the development of vocational education in Georgia. The Ministry of Defense of Georgia and the EU Observer Mission in Georgia signed a memorandum on mutual exchange of information; the Ministry of Finance of Georgia and the EU signed a memorandum of mutual understanding and cooperation. The agreement on simplifying visa procedures between Georgia and the EU came into effect on March 1, 2011. In 2012, negotiations between Georgia and the EU on the Association Status Agreement and the Free Trade Area Agreement continued. In September 2012, Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, announced that the EU decided to extend the term of the observer mission in Georgia until September 14, 2013.
Relationship with NATO
Georgia actively seeks to join the NATO membership action plan and calls on NATO to adopt a "road map" approach in absorbing new members. In 2011, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense of Georgia participated in various NATO meetings to discuss issues such as relations between Georgia and NATO. He actively participated in NATO peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan and dispatched more than 960 peacekeeping troops to Afghanistan.
In May 2011, Georgian Foreign Minister Vasadze attended the NATO Foreign Ministerial Meeting and the NATO-Georgia Committee Meeting. The NATO-Georgia Committee Meeting issued a declaration of independence for the first time, stating that it supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and supported the Georgia joins NATO. In July 2011, NATO Secretary-General Rasmussen said that NATO did not agree with Russia's actions in the Georgia-Russia conflict, but Russia-Georgia relations should not hinder the development of relations between Russia and NATO. Cooperation is the basic policy of NATO-Russia relations. In May 2012, the NATO Chicago Summit issued a statement reiterating its support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and calling on Russia to give up recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.