Thursday, May 3, 2018

NATO-Georgia public diplomacy forum underway in Tbilisi


news.az
[April 30]

uncaptioned image from article

The NATO-Georgia public diplomacy [JB emphasis] forum was today opened by PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze, Agenda reports.

President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili and Parliamentary Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze also provided a keynote address at the forum, as well as the Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Aaron Wess Mitchell and NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Tacan Ildem.

"We expect that our partners will recognise Georgia’s progress as regards democratic development and NATO integration in the context of an open door policy,” Kvirikashvili said expressing his hope that there will be decisions which will further strengthen NATO-Georgia partnership.

"The United States supports Georgia steadfastly and its path to NATO and EU. As Vice President Pence said during his visit here last July, we are with you, we stand with you, we are proud of our friendship and strategic partnership with the nation and people of Georgia. Georgia is a strong partner to us because it stand with us in fighting common threats around the world,” Assistant Secretary Wess Mitchell said while delivering a speech at the forum today adding that the US "unequivocally condemns Russia’s occupations of Georgian soil.”

Several panel discussions are planned for the two days of the forum including one titled "NATO-Georgia: partnership for progress”.

This is the third time the forum is being held in Georgia and represents an important platform for discussions about the importance of public diplomacy and communication.

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