TBILISI, July 12 (Itar-Tass) - Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said he considered the completion of talks on Georgia’s associate status in the European Union “a historical event for Tbilisi”.
Speaking at an international conference devoted to Georgia’s integration on Friday, Ivanishvili said the Association Agreement would be initialled at the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November.
The prime minister said he is convinced that after the Association Agreement and its inalienable component - the free trade zone agreement - “comes into effect Georgia will become part of European economic space that makes the investment climate more attractive for foreign businessmen”.
He named Georgia’s willingness to become a member of the EU Energy Community “one more important step towards European integration”. “When I visited Brussels in November 2012 I spoke about Georgia’s wish. I want to reiterate that our country is the EU reliable partner in energy transportation,” Ivanishvili said.
He pointed to the need to develop Georgia’s transport system based on the European standards.
Georgia and the EU have held talks on the Association Agreement since July 2012. After the AA is signed and come into effect it will replace the existing Georgia-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. The parties also continue negotiations on the free trade agreement that were started in Tbilisi on February 28, 2012 within the visit to Georgia by EU Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht.