Kobakhidze Attends Antalya Diplomacy Forum
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, April 14, 2025
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze participated in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in Turkey from April 11 to 13. During the event, he took part in a panel discussion and held bilateral meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset. Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili also attended and met with officials from the OSCE and other international representatives.
Speaking at the panel "Search for Partnerships in the Era of Multi-polarization," Kobakhidze described Georgia's foreign policy approach as focused on peace and economic diplomacy. He claimed Georgia's economic growth averaged 9.4% since 2021 a figure he presented as the highest in Europe and said the government is working to position Georgia as a bridge between East and West.
He repeatedly framed Georgia's current strategy as "pragmatic and peaceful," particularly in the context of relations with Russia. Despite ongoing tensions over Russian-occupied territories Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, Kobakhidze said Georgia continues economic engagement with Moscow while maintaining no formal diplomatic ties.
Kobakhidze reiterated the Georgian Dream (GD) party's longstanding claim that Georgia was pressured to join the war in Ukraine in 2022. He stated that Georgia resisted these alleged calls and instead focused on avoiding involvement, calling it a "political fight" in which diplomacy was ineffective.
He also described diplomacy more broadly as "extremely weak" in the current geopolitical climate. According to him, some Georgian ambassadors are unable to carry out their work in certain countries due to strained relations. He did not name the countries or provide details. Nonetheless, Kobakhidze said he believes diplomacy will become more effective once peace is restored globally.
Despite increasing tensions between the GD government and the European Union, including stalled accession talks, Kobakhidze claimed EU membership remains a top foreign policy goal. He acknowledged "challenges" in the relationship but expressed hope that regional stability could help move Georgia's EU integration forward.
