By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA

Georgia hopes relations with Turkey will remain "exemplary" in the region, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze told Anadolu Agency.

"In 2017, we are marking the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with Turkey. Throughout these 25 years we successfully managed to build a very special partnership, based on mutual respect, interests and support," Janelidze said in an exclusive interview with the agency.

Janelidze said just three days after the 15 July coup attempt, Georgian Prime Minister Kvirikashvili visited Turkey and expressed support to Democracy and people of Turkey.

"During the above mentioned visit of our Prime-Minister to Turkey was held the first meeting of new format - Georgia-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council, which is an excellent platform for deepening high-level dialogue," he added. 

Janelidze addressed the 9th annual Ambassadors’ Conference, which was held between Jan. 8-14 in the capital Ankara with the participation of Turkey’s ambassadors serving at home and abroad.

"We continue to work on further progress with Turkey in political, security, economic, cultural and other fields. We express hope that relations between Georgia and the Republic of Turkey will remain exemplary in the region," said Janelidze.

Janelidze said Georgia and Turkey are strategic partners and Tbilisi "highly" values Ankara's firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Our countries have a multidimensional strategic partnership covering political, trade and economic, transport, cultural and humanitarian areas. Customs, transport, and energy remain crucially important dimensions in bilateral ties," he added.

The top diplomat said Turkey is one of Georgia’s largest trade partners and main investors, adding: "We expect increases in trade between our countries [amid] significant investments in Georgia’s energy, transport, and tourism sectors."

"With Turkey and Azerbaijan, we have already successfully implemented important regional and international projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum Pipelines. We believe that our consolidated efforts will continue for the realization of other important regional energy and transport projects," he said.

Janelidze said the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which will establish a direct route between Georgia and Turkey, then to Europe via the Marmara tunnel, and to the east via Turkey and Georgia and to other regional countries, represents a "huge" interest for Georgia.

"The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will reduce shipping times to 15 days and shorten the distance from Europe to Asia by 6,800-7,500 kilometers [4,225-4,660 miles]. This is why we are certain that the railway will effectively open a new railway corridor from the Caspian Sea to Europe via Turkey," he said.

Janelidze said the railway became an important link of the modern “Silk Road” by establishing a direct route connecting Europe with Asian countries.

NATO and EU integration

Janelidze said NATO integration is one of Georgia’s top foreign and security policy priorities.

"Membership will provide Georgia with the opportunity for peaceful and sustainable development as NATO’s main goal is to ensure the security, peace, and prosperity of its members and to safeguard the shared values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights," he said.

Mentioning the 2008 Bucharest summit where NATO members decided to admit Georgia, Janelidze said he expects the member countries to support the process of Georgia's NATO integration.

"Euro-Atlantic integration is a process. and we are ready to follow every phase of it," he added.

Janelidze said Turkey became one of the "active" supporters to Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration process. "Furthermore, Turkey is an important contributor in the process of the implementation of the elements of Substantial NATO-Georgia package," he added.

About the EU's lifting of visa requirements for Georgia, Janelidze said visa liberalization is one of the key parts of Georgia's EU integration agenda.

"Visa liberalization provides an essential incentive and tangible benefit for Georgian citizens, which will help to develop tourism, deepen people-to-people contacts, and strengthen cultural and business ties and partnerships with the EU," he added.

Janelidze said Georgia is "keen" to further explore opportunities for cooperation with all EU bodies. 

Russia: Leverage and occupation

Janelidze said: "Russia has not respected the sovereign choice of Georgia and hinder its Western aspirations. Moscow has effectively used the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions as a means of leverage over Georgia."

He said despite Georgia's efforts and constructive policy, "Russia still continues the occupation of 20 percent of Georgian territory and reinforces its military buildup in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions."

Janelidze added: "Russia launched a de facto annexation process of the occupied regions by signing so-called ‘integration treaties,’ subsequent ‘agreements,’ and ‘memoranda’."

He said although the documents have no legitimacy under international law, they envisage full integration of Georgia’s occupied regions into Russia’s military, economic, and social system.

About the South Ossetia (Tskhinvali) occupation regime’s plans to hold a referendum this year on the region acceding to Russia, Janelidze said: "It is clear that if held, it will lead to grave consequences not only for Georgia, but for the security and stability of the entire region."

He stated that the people living in the occupied regions are deprived of minimal safeguards and cannot exercise basic rights such as freedom of movement, property, and education in their native tongue.

Janelidze said: "In parallel, Russia continues building of razor and barbed wire fences, trenches, so-called “border” signs and other artificial barriers along the occupation line, dividing families and properties of the local residents."

"I would like to emphasize here that, despite constant provocations, Georgia stays committed to a policy of peaceful conflict resolution. We rely on political, diplomatic, and legal means to counter the ongoing occupation," he added.

Janelidze said the international community’s position is "crucial" for stopping the challenging of a sovereign state’s freedom and territorial integrity, and ensuring the withdrawal of Russian occupation forces from Georgian territory.

He said the EU Monitoring Mission is the "only" international mechanism on the ground, adding: "Though, despite its mandate to cover entire Georgia, is not allowed to access to the occupied regions."

"Georgia seeks the de-escalation and normalization of bilateral relations based on the principles of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. Unfortunately, despite our substantial efforts, Russia’s response to Georgia’s constructive steps has been inadequate," added Janelidze.