Georgia key pillar of peace in South Caucasus, vital for OSCE, says Foreign Minister

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Wednesday said that Georgia was playing a crucial role as a significant pillar of peace and stability in the South Caucasus region.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Botchorishvili commented on the visit of the OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu to Georgia, noting that during the meetings, Sinirlioğlu highlighted his positive impressions regarding the well-organised nature of Georgia's electoral system, suggesting that the country could share its experience in this area with other OSCE states.

“This visit is particularly important as the OSCE has a new Secretary General. I have already met him several times in various formats - in Vienna, Antalya - and we discussed the situation and challenges facing Georgia. As you know, the OSCE is the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and its primary goal and principles are aimed at ensuring peace, security, and cooperation within the OSCE space”, the FM said.

“Naturally, it is significant that the Secretary General made the decision to visit Georgia and meet with representatives of the Georgian Government. Throughout the visit, he repeatedly stressed that peace and stability in the South Caucasus are of utmost importance for the broader stability of the OSCE region. In this context, Georgia stands out as a key pillar of peace and stability in the South Caucasus. That is why the OSCE’s relationship with Georgia and its close monitoring of the processes unfolding here are of vital importance”, she continued.

Botchorishvili further added that productive discussions were held with the Prime Minister, and the Secretary General also met with representatives of various branches of government, including the Chair of the Central Election Commission.

“He [Secretary General] shared his impressions from the meetings and highlighted how well the electoral system is organised in Georgia. He stressed that we should, in turn, share our experience with other OSCE participating states”, Botchorishvili concluded.