Kasis Invites Bochorishvili to OSCE Ministerial Council in Lugano After Meeting

The acting OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Vice-President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis invited Georgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili to a Ministerial Council session in Lugano in a few weeks. He made the statement after meeting with Bochorishvili.

Cassis addressed Bochorishvili: "Dear Foreign Minister, my dear friend, I am waiting for you in Lugano, in a few weeks at the Ministerial Council session, and I greet you in Lugano as warmly as you received me today".

According to him, the topic of today's conversation was achieving progress and moving on to the next stage. Cassis noted that he would also meet Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze later today.

The OSCE Chairperson said that Georgia and Switzerland have a long history of common friendship and mutual trust. According to him, next year marks 35 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, which is an important stage of partnership. According to Cassis, the countries have had strong political and economic ties for decades, and many connections have also been established between their peoples.

Cassis named trade as an important part of this process. According to him, Georgia's exports to Switzerland exceeded 100 million dollars, while Switzerland's exports reached 190 million. In his assessment, these figures are not huge, but he sees great potential for deepening existing ties and bringing the countries even closer.

As the second element, Cassis named trust and said that it is at the center of the relationship. As one concrete expression of trust, he mentioned Switzerland's role in representing Georgia's interests in the Russian Federation. According to Cassis, Switzerland assumed this responsibility in 2009 and for many years it has reflected the trust between the two countries.