Extraordinary joint meeting

The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Security and Defence and the Delegation for relations with the South Caucasus held an extraordinary joint meeting on 20 August 2008 to discuss the situation in Georgia.

French Minister of State for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet was invited as a rapporteur at the first part of the session, which was closed to the public. Following his address European Parliament members heard the remarks of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Eka Tkeshelashvili.

A majority of members of the European Parliament expressed their solidarity with and support for Georgia. The meeting condemned Russia’s aggressive actions. It was decided that the situation in Georgia will be discussed at the first plenary session of the European Parliament scheduled to take place at the beginning of September and that the European Parliament will adopt a respective resolution.

‘Given Russia defying its international commitments, the European Union can no longer continue its usual way of cooperation with Russia’ - Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Jacek Saryusz-Wolski is quoted as saying.

The focus of discussions was also the type of economic and political assistance the European Union may render to Georgia in the given situation.