President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy met President Saakashvili in Brussels on November 14, two days after meeting with visiting PM Bidzina Ivanishvili.

After the meeting Van Rompuy reiterated EU’s commitment to conclude negotiations on Association Agreement, including deep and comprehensive free trade agreement, “as soon as possible.”

He also expressed hope that President Saakashvili “would continue to work effectively with the government during their period of cohabitation.”

President Saakashvili said that it happened “by coincidence” that he was in Brussels at the time when PM Ivanishvili was also there.

“That really shows that there is need to cooperate because we talk very much about the same issues,” Saakashvili said, adding that these were the issues related to Georgia’s European integration on which all the political forces in Georgia should find a common ground.

He said that Georgia needed continuity in progress achieved so far in talks over Association Agreement, as well as in visa liberalization dialogue

“We need continuity in that… and we are trying to help them [the new government] to bring Georgia closer to European institutions,” Saakashvili said.

He said that in foreign policy issues he would “fully” dedicate “one year of my remaining presidential term” to bringing Georgia’s European integration “to next level, that involves free trade, visa free rules, Association Agreement and emergence of prospect for EU membership.”