German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday held separate meetings with her Turkish and Georgian counterparts in New York ahead of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly next week.
After talks between Baerbock and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, German delegation circles spoke of a constructive atmosphere on issues of bilateral, European, and NATO political cooperation. Baerbock and Fidan also discussed the mediation efforts of Turkey and the UN to revive the Ukrainian grain agreement.
Baerbock’s talks with Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili focused on “Georgia’s EU reform efforts,” the German Foreign Office said on X, formerly Twitter.
The German minister emphasized the importance of the EU as a community of values that thrives on pluralism and the ability to criticize and compromise.
Georgia applied for accession to the EU after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The current government of the former Soviet republic, however, is considered to be Russian-friendly.
The European Union gave Georgia the prospect of becoming an official candidate to join the bloc once it carries out reforms.
This includes fighting political polarization, judicial reform, the establishment of an independent anti-corruption authority, and a free press and media. The EU also demanded that Georgia “deoligarchize,” or curb the influence of so-called oligarchs who still have significant economic and political weight in public life.
In October, the European Commission plans to present a report that will serve as the foundation for further decisions on a closer rapprochement with the European Union.
