Georgia determined to sign agreement with EU - foreign minister
TBILISI. Nov 27 (Interfax) - Georgia is determined to initial the association agreement with the European Union at the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze said.
"I can assure you that nothing will happen in the next two days and we will certainly initial this document. I am positive that the association agreement with the European Union will be signed irrespective of the events of September 2014," she said in a program aired by the Rustavi 2 television channel on Tuesday.
As to the possible pressure Russia may put on Georgia before it signs the association agreement with the EU, the minister said, "There can hardly be more pressure than the declaration of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. We will try to prevent an escalation of tensions."
Russia may use economic levers against Georgia but "they will be less efficient than [the levers] used against Ukraine and Moldova," the minister said.
"We have survived Russia's economic embargo. Economic relations were severed in 2007. So we can survive this embargo again, especially given that the Russian market has ceased to be our priority. Besides, Russia is unlikely to take a similar step due to its particular interest in Georgian products," Panjikidze said.
