Exchange of views with Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI, President of Georgia: extracts EP Committee on Foreign Affairs in association with the Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, in the EP in Brussels. Statements by Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI, President of Georgia, Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN (ALDE, NL), Heidi Anneli HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI) and Marek JUREK (ECR, PL)

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

exchange of views

EU - Georgia (T)

EU - Azerbaijan (T)

EU - Armenia (T)

BROK, Elmar (EPP, DE)

JUREK, Marek (ECR, PL)

HAUTALA, Heidi (Greens/EFA, FI)

VAN BAALEN, Johannes Cornelis (ALDE, NL)

MARGVELASHVILI, Giorgi (GE)

Exchange of views with Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI, President of Georgia: extracts EP Committee on Foreign Affairs in association with the Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees

<p>Arrival of Elmar BROK, Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI, President of Georgia, at the meeting room (4 shots)</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), "We are just before the Riga Summit. This Riga Summit has for partners and friends in the neighbourhood policy an important role, but also for us. First of all, we want to strengthen the rights of the nations on that part of the world, on that part of Europe, that has the sovereign right to make their decisions, which includes the possibility of implementing treaties decided for example with the European Union."

SOUNDBITE (English), Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI, President of Georgia, "We are developing and furthering our relationship in a proper form but, doing this, based on our values' system, based on our joint approach to our future of foreign policy and, on supporting each other in humanitarian respect. So, if the question is about the military partnership, I believe that it would be more appropriate for Georgia to join NATO as a military partnership and, it would be building in the competitive advantage that NATO has is this respect."

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN (ALDE, NL), "Do you envisage a closer cooperation with those countries which are directly affected by Russian intervention and, how this cooperation looks like? Thank you, Mr President."

SOUNDBITE (English), Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI, President of Georgia, "Does Georgia deserves a clear message on its right to be protective in its free choice of becoming a part of the Western civilisation? I believe that those voices should be heard much more clearly and at least, as Russian politicians put it, and they put it in a very clear message. They say that ex Soviet Union countries are their backyard and, they have a right to decide issues in this backyard by military means."

SOUNDBITE (English), Heidi Anneli HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI), "I would be worthwhile if you elaborate a little bit more here, before this audience, about your view on the reforms on the judiciary because as you know it has been a concern here in the House to various degrees."

SOUNDBITE (English), Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI, President of Georgia, "Judiciary was one of the most undeserved parts of our democratic system. We have put quite an effort in furthering the reforms in judiciary. This does not happen overnight. It takes time and it is not easy. But during these two years, we have undertaken several steps."

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Marek JUREK (ECR, PL), "Also, in South Ossetia and similar territories, I wonder how the problem of autonomy is being solved. We are very much interested by the independence of Georgia,  as well as we are very much interested by the harmonious development of the Georgian democracy."

SOUNDBITE (English), Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI, President of Georgia, "On the treaties that has been signed by the Russian Federation with the Abkhazia region we have a very clear message. But on the treaty with South Ossetia, we have a preventive message for our friends and partners and, we are very thankful to Europe for being so precise on this issue and reacting even before the Russian Federation has made its signature, which is absolutely in breach of any kind of international standards. We feel your support, and we are thankful for this support."