Georgia’s Premier in Israel

Peter Lukimson, Israel. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

While the new Georgian President Georgy Margvelashvili is visiting Turkey, the new Georgian Premier Irakly Garibashvili is heading to Israel.

Soon after the Georgian delegation arrived to Jerusalem, a meeting between Irakly Garibashvili and the head of the Israeli Interior Ministry Gideon Saar took place. Minister Saar expressed gratitude on behalf of the Israeli government to the Georgian top guest for cancelation of the visa-free regime between Georgia and Iran. He also informed the Georgian Premier about preparations for ratification of an agreement on a visa-free regime between Georgia and Israel. Gideon Saar emphasized that he would presented the agreement for governmental approval as soon as possible.

The press service of the Interior Ministry of Israel stated that Saar thanked Georgia’s Premier for a project of restoration of Jewish graveyards, synagogues, and monuments in Georgia and contribution to the Oswiecim Museum Fund by the Georgian government.

“I am sure that friendly relations between our countries and nations will develop and improve in the future,” Saar said, and Garibashvili invited him to visit Georgia.

Israeli governmental sources note that great attention is paid to the first visit by Garibashvili as Premier in the context of “the multi-vector foreign policy” by the Foreign Minister of Avigdor Lieberman.

Garibashvili met President Shimon Peres, Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Moreover, Garibashvili will visit the memorial museum of Yad Vashem Disaster.

Today the first session of the Israeli-Georgian intergovernmental economic commission will take place under chairmanship of two foreign ministers – Avigdor Lieberman and Maya Pandzhikidze. The sides will discuss several topics, including practical matters of improvement of economic ties between Israel and Georgia. It is expected that the foreign ministers will sign a memorandum and the commission’s work protocol.