Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 4 September (BelTA) – Georgia is ready to develop relations with Belarus in all formats, Georgian Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze said as he met with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 4 September, BelTA has learned.

“We are ready to cooperate in all formats, both in regional and international ones,” Mikheil Janelidze emphasized.

He thanked the president for the warm welcome and pointed to the kinship between Belarusians and Georgians. “We are united by historical friendship and fraternity. This certainly has an impact on our today’s relations. Your personal contribution to these relations is immense. They were given another impetus after your visit, after the inauguration of the embassy and also after our president and prime minister had paid visits to Belarus,” Mikheil Janelidze remarked.

He commended the active work of the Belarusian and Georgian ministries of foreign affairs that help sectoral ministries establish new contacts and search for promising joint projects. “We are very glad that Belarus-Georgia trade and economic relations are developing. The trade has been growing, new joint ventures are being established,” the minister highlighted.

Mikheil Janelidze thanked Belarus for the assistance with fighting forest fires. “Your people were fighting the fires in Georgia like heroes. They helped us when we were in trouble, in crisis. Different countries sent crews to help us. But I should say that your assistance was exemplary. We are very grateful,” he underlined.

The Georgian minister also stressed active cultural contacts between the two countries. He mentioned the popularity of the Tbilisoba festival held in Minsk not long ago. “We are very happy that there is such interest, that many Belarusians visit Georgia as tourists. We are happy to welcome Belarusian businessmen, too,” Mikheil Janelidze added.