Ms Sofia Katsarava:

I again thank the Chairman for his warm and encouraging words. We really appreciate them and feel the support offered. I thank members for their interventions and welcoming words.

On the process involved and timeframe for EU integration, I do not believe we can talk necessarily about the timeframe, but what really matters for Georgia are all of the tools, instruments and formats we have with the European Union and the different institutions to deepen our ties and get closer to the them through sectoral development balanced with sectoral co-operation. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan has rightly pointed out that when she visits Georgia, she gets the feeling that there is a full commitment, not just among the authorities but also among the public, to integration into the European family and the European space. That is why we keep reiterating the importance of visa free travel and the reason we are appealing to members to be aware that this is something people felt was a tangible and practical result that we achieved last year. What we are doing is avoiding timeframes because it is very hard to say specifically when it will happen. However, my colleagues and I believe - this is the consensus in the country - that we are very much focused on the process leading to EU integration. We are waiting for the moment when Georgia will become a full member of the European family.

As I said, there is co-operation in a wide range of areas. I mentioned the association agreement and the new action plan for 2020 as well as the DCFTA, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas, agreement. Those are the main instruments and the main formats through which we co-operate with the EU institutions. A lot is happening from the executive side, including continuing the reforms on the parliamentary and legislative side. We are very close at the moment but those reforms will finally bring us into the European space and the European family. This is how we envisage the process. Again, we appreciate Ireland's support for Georgia's integration into the European Union.

A question was asked about Russia. In my speech I tried to give members a picture, especially for those who have not been to Georgia. Those who have been to Georgia have experienced quite acutely how it feels to have the occupation lines so close to the capital. We spoke a lot yesterday about this concern and I mentioned it in my speech. We have trade relations with Russia and we have a policy towards Russia which is pragmatic, but at the same time we have a very principled proposition when it comes to Georgia's occupied territories. In particular, because this is so fresh we want to stop it and we are doing everything we can in all international fora. This forum is extremely useful too in making our voice heard in this country and elsewhere to ensure that the international community understands the gravity of the situation in the occupied territories. When we say that we have a pragmatic policy, that means we want to ensure that Georgia is a stable and secure country. Georgia has gained the reputation of being a stable country over the years, but again, not at the expense of the occupied territories, which is an extremely painful and challenging issue for all of us.

In a way that chimes with the Geneva international discussions because that was also the focus of one of the questions. The 43rd round of the Geneva international forum and discussions literally finished yesterday. As has rightly been pointed out, the question is what needs to be done to make it more effective. We took all the steps to make the forums more effective so that decisions are taken. What is needed here is the political will to take the decisions and that is why I mentioned that for years we had not seen any step from the other side, namely, the Russian Federation, in fulfilling its obligations on the ceasefire. That is why I mentioned in the speech about the presence of the international security mechanism in the occupied territory as well as the issue which has been consistently and continuously raised by our side, which is the dignified return of internally displaced people, IDPs. We have not seen any progress on that. What needs to be done is for there to be the political will from all sides in the forum on a decision and for the Russian Federation to fulfil the obligations it has to fulfil. My colleague, Mr. Kapanadze, would like to add more about the discussions in Geneva and other issues.