Asuncion Welcomes Georgian Top Diplomat For First Time In History – OpEd
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, received, at the Benigno López Palace (headquarters of the MFA), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili. This is the first visit by a Georgian Foreign Affairs Minister to the Republic of Paraguay.
Accompanied by their respective teams, they held a working meeting and subsequently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Cooperation in the Field of Diplomatic Training, with the aim of establishing the academic framework through which both diplomatic training academies will carry out their activities. This historic agreement of cooperation will encompass the principles of reciprocity and mutual benefit.
In a press statement, Minister Ramírez Lezcano highlighted the first visit in history made by a Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to the Republic of Paraguay, 14 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.
Minister Ramírez highlighted: “This represents a highly significant gesture. The mutual interest in strengthening diplomatic ties between both nations and the excellent opportunity to forge a personal relationship of friendship with the Chief of Diplomacy of Georgia.
He stated that during the bilateral meeting they reviewed the main issues on the bilateral agenda, especially trade relations, where they identified opportunities to increase trade in both ways: “Georgia is the largest importer of Paraguayan products in the Caucasus region and trade exchange has a wide margin and enormous potential to continue growing.”
Minister Ramírez pointed out that Georgia is a large recipient of international tourism and that in this context they agreed to work on cooperation in tourism: “We have also addressed educational and tourism cooperation and I highlight the willingness of both countries to promote cultural and academic exchange. We identified points of common interest in these areas, and we are committed to working in that direction.”
Finally, the Paraguayan Diplomacy Chief stated that they are committed to working together at the multilateral level, considering the similarities in their positions regarding issues of global importance. For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili, expressed his gratitude for the hospitality, stating that he was sure that this historic visit will inaugurate a new era in bilateral relations between both nations.
Minister Darchiashvili highlighted: “Despite the geographical distance, the relations between our countries are solid, based on common values and principles. In addition, we share other similarities such as an open economy, a vast network of trade agreements and a great attractiveness as a destination for foreign investments”.
The Georgian Minister underlined the special interest of the Government of Georgia in continuing to develop ties with Paraguay and in being able to develop a roadmap for greater cooperation. The Georgian top diplomatic envoy stated: “We talked about the potential to deepen political dialogue, cultural and economic relations, as well as interpersonal contacts.”
In this regard, he stated that Georgia could be a reliable ally in the region to promote Paraguayan exports: “Paraguayan companies and ventures that are interested in diversifying their export market can greatly benefit from Georgia’s strategic geographic location and the increasingly important role of the middle corridor.”
He also indicated that the reciprocal exemption from visa requirements is a significant tool to promote tourism ties and interpersonal relations, highlighting that he was impressed by the cultural affinity between Paraguay and Georgia.
He also commented that they spoke with Foreign Affairs Minister Ramírez about the progress that Georgia has registered towards its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, as well as about the events that mark their respective regions today and about the impact of regional security on the global agenda. The Georgian top diplomat briefed the Paraguayan minister about the serious humanitarian situation in several of the occupied regions of the Republic of Georgia. Finally, they highlighted the positive dynamics of multilateral relations, while agreeing to continue cooperating closely in the future.
