Stability here in Georgia is vital both for its people and for the wider region’s security and stability. Such a statement the OSCE Secretary General made at the joint press-briefing with the Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili.

“I’m very pleased to be here, in Tbilisi today for my 1st official visit to Georgia as OSCE Secretary General. As the OSCE Secretary General, I am committed to working with all the 57 participating states of our organization.

During my visit, I want to underline the OSCE’s strong commitment to Georgia and to the region. We deeply value our longstanding partnership with Georgia. This week marks the 16th anniversary of the incident prevention and response mechanism [IPRM], which meets regularly in Ergneti and is a powerful example of how dialogue can deliver results for people living in conflict-affected areas.

Our work with the EU and the UN shows how effective multilateralism can help mediation.

Later today, I will visit the Odzisi crossing point and see firsthand the continued impact of conflict. Our engagement is and will continue to be guided by the needs of the people on the ground.

Stability here in Georgia is vital both for its people and for the wider region’s security and stability. The OSCE and Georgia have a long history of working together, spanning decades.

I want to reaffirm our willingness to support Georgia in addressing internal and external challenges. I would like to encourage the Georgian authorities to continue relying on OSCE’s expertise and support. Thank you for your commitment to the OSCE principles”, - said Feridun Sinirlioğlu.