Danish Foreign Minister, Martin Lidegaard, said after meeting his Georgian counterpart, Tamar Beruchashvili in Tbilisi on November 11 that Denmark wants “to be a partner” with Georgia.

It is Lidegaard’s second visit to Georgia this year, which he said demonstrates his country’s willingness to help Georgia to make full use of its Association Agreement with the EU. He said that Denmark plans to ratify the agreement “within few months.”

“One thing is to sign an agreement and other thing is to implement it and it is no coincidence that I now pay my second visit in only seven months to Georgia. We have decided from the Danish side that we want to be a partner to your country, we want to make our contribution to you in order to be able to implement and use all the possibilities in the new cooperation with the EU,” said Lidegaard, who arrived in Tbilisi after visiting Ukraine.

“We have pointed as we do with good friends where we have concerns when it comes to rule of law and prosecution of political leaders, which we find will have to be independent and fair,” he added.

The Danish Foreign Minister said that a “huge potential” of cooperation in the energy sector was also discussed. A memorandum was understanding on cooperation in the energy sector was signed between the two countries on November 11.

Also on November 11 readmission agreement was signed between Georgia and Denmark. When Georgia signed visa facilitation and readmission agreements with the EU in 2010, Demark was not part of those treaties.

Georgian Foreign Minister, Tamar Beruchashvili, said that she was assured by her Danish counterpart that “the next agreement we will prepare be about visa facilitation” between the two countries.

Also on November 11 the Danish Foreign Minister met Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili. During his visit Lidegaard also plans meetings with opposition and civil society representatives; he will also speak at a conference on “ways to enhance energy security” in Tbilisi on November 12.

For Beruchashvili it was the first meeting with her foreign counterpart in her capacity of Georgia’s Foreign Minister – the post she took just few hours earlier on November 11.

“My goal will be more Europe in Georgia and more Georgia in Europe, as well as more NATO in Georgia as Georgia’s contribution is already significant to the NATO,” Beruchashvili said at a joint news conference with her Danish counterpart.

She said that situation in Georgia’s “occupied regions” was also discussed.

“We also discussed challenges and threats related to possible signing of agreement on ‘alliance and integration’ between the Russian Federation and de facto authorities of Abkhazia. Further strengthening of support from our partners, among them of Denmark, is of special importance in order for Russia to have a clear signal and tough message that it is necessary to be in compliance of the international law,” the Georgian Foreign Minister said.