GFSIS Holds a Discussion Meeting
By Mariam Chanishvili
Wednesday, February 21
On 20 February, Rondeli Foundation - Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (GFSIS) held an event dedicated to the fourth year after Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.
The event - Round Table - "De-occupation of Ukraine and Georgia: the role of state and international organizations and civil society institutions" was supported by the Ukrainian Embassy in Georgia and Rondeli Foundation.
The President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili and the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, signed the Declaration on the Establishment of the Strategic Partnership between Georgia and Ukraine in July, 2017.
The joint Declaration aims at further developing political and economic cooperation between the two countries and, considering the shared interests and challenges the two countries face, reinforcing bilateral and multilateral partnership.
The goal of the event was to hold a discussion between the members of the government, diplomats, media and NGO representatives about the territories of Autonomous Republic of Crimea, territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.
The participants discussed the existing political and social situation in the occupied regions and ways of de-occupation of these territories with peaceful means through the involvement and assistance of the United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe and other regional or international organizations.
The event was opened by Ekaterine Metreveli, the President of the Rondeli Foundation and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Georgia, Ihor Dolhoev.
Speeches were delivered by the leader of the Crimean Tatar national movement in Ukraine, Refat Chubarov and Georgia's Minister for IDPs, Accommodation and Refugees, Sozar Subari.
The event was attended by the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative and UNFPA Representative in Georgia, Niels Scott and the Researcher of Rondeli Foundation, Shota Utiashvili.
Established in 1998, the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (Rondeli Foundation) is an independent, non-profit policy think tank dedicated to helping improve public policy decision-making in Georgia through research and analysis, training of policymakers and policy analysts, and public education about the strategic issues, both domestic and international, facing Georgia and the Caucasus in the 21st century. The activities of the Foundation aim at promoting democracy and fostering political and economic reforms; enhancing regional cooperation; creating a friendly and secure environment for investment; and providing local private sector and the international business community opportunities to participate in the economy of the Caucasus region.
