First stop for Angela Merkel on Caucasus tour: Georgia

On August 23, 2018, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made her first official visit to Georgia. Despite the lack of personal visits (apart from a short stop over ten years ago), she has still supported Georgia and is now visiting Georgia as her first stop on the Caucasian tour. She’s staying for two days and meeting with the ministry of foreign affairs.

She was met in the airport by Davit Dzalkaliani, Georgian minister of foreign affairs. After that, the official ceremony was held in the governmental administration.

German chancellor also met privately with Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Bakhtadze. Following the meeting, they had a joint press conference and answered different questions from Georgian and German journalists.

During Merkel's visit to Vladimir Putin in Russia just prior to her stay in Georgia, there was very interesting moment when journalist asked if her and Putin had talked about Georgia: There was not clear answer. Chancellor Merkel merely said she planned to visit the demarcation line where the EU’s mission is located and that the Russian president knows her opinion about this case and about the case of Ukraine. Prime minister Bakhtadze mentioned that Georgia has an agreement with Russia that Russia has failed to take its army out of Georgian territory in accordance with this agreement.

Georgia’s hopes for joining the EU and Nato were also mentioned in discussions about Georgia’s European way and European choice and the role of Germany in Georgia’s integration in EU.

Merkel spoke about Georgian-German relations with the main focus on economics. They talked about the EU and Germany’s role in resolving frozen conflicts with Russia, and there was a clear answer from the Chancellor that they’re working on it and supporting Georgia in this case, but that Russia has not fulfilled its agreements.

In the frames of Angela Merkel's visit, a parallel business meeting was held in the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. The Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development focused on the negotiations between Georgian Railway and Deutsche Bank. Within the frames of the visit, they discussed the KFW (bank aus verantwortung) and Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation and the construction of underground gas storage. After conference with Giorgi Bakhtadze, Merkel had a meeting with the President of Georgia in the Government palace. The main topic of the visit was the situation in Georgia's occupied territories, security issues, and Russia's policy toward Georgia. The discussion touched upon strengthening Georgia's defense capabilities as the intensive cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany in the field of defense is underway and hopes to further strengthen Georgia's democracy.

Meeting with president of Georgia

There are different opinions between Georgian Government and experts about this visit.

Georgian politicians think that Merkel's messages were quite clear. They believe that it’s very important that they spoke about education, economics, support for infrastructural projects, investments, free trade, etc. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Davit Zalkaliani estimates that Chancellor Merkel's visit to Georgia was very successful and that Georgia will experience positive results.

Finance Minister Ivane Machavariani also said that: "The arrival of one of the strongest EU leader will undoubtedly strengthen Georgian-German relations and move to a new level. Angela Merkel's historic visit is a clear expression of German support in Georgia."

If the governmental side thinks that this meeting will have very good results, other experts and researchers says that they didn’t expect anything new from the Chancellor and that their suspicions were confirmed. As Giorgi Rukhadzeey, founder of the Georgian Strategic Analysis Center (GSAC), European Research Director and Analyst noted "we didn’t hear anything new from Markel about Nato or Georgia’s integration in EU". As they mentioned, Markel is going to visit the demarcation line, but she’s not going with Georgian politicians or diplomats, she’s going there alone. Experts think that this is gesture to be neutral and if she would go there with officials from the Georgian side it would be an action against Russia.

Many, such as Giga Bokeria, were expecting better work from diplomats on Georgia’s side: "they should mention concrete cases as it is Otxozoria’s case and etc".

This visit will finish on the 24th of August with a meeting with students at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Also planned are the German Chancellor's meetings with German soldiers participating in the "Noble partner" and a visit to the occupation line where a meeting with the representatives of the EU’s mission will take place.

By: Miranda Museliani

Bibliography:

https://menafn.com/1097313415/Merkels-visit-of-utmost-importance-Georgia...

https://1tv.ge/en/news/mamuka-bakhtadze-angela-merkels-visit-comprises-p...

https://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/EN/Artikel/2016/06_en/2016-06-15-...

https://www.president.gov.ge/ka-GE/pressamsakhuri/siakhleebi/%E2%80%8Bgi...

https://1tv.ge/en/news/prime-minister-georgia-meeting-angela-merkel/ https://1tv.ge/en/news/merkel-greeted-georgian-pm-photo-video/

https://1tv.ge/en/news/angela-merkel-support-georgias-sovereignty-territ...

https://1tv.ge/en/news/german-press-economy-georgia-distinguished-modern...

https://1tv.ge/en/news/angela-merkel-will-lay-wreaths-memorial-soldiers-... https://1tv.ge/en/news/tamar-khulordava-angela-merkels-visit-confirmatio...

https://1tv.ge/en/news/german-chancellors-visit-georgia-information-firs...

https://1tv.ge/en/news/georgian-pm-sure-official-visit-will-bring-georgi...