Foreign relations of Georgia Information & Foreign relations of Georgia Links at HealthHaven.com

Georgia's location, nestled between the Black Sea, Russia, and Turkey, gives it strategic importance far beyond its size. It is developing as the gateway from the Black Sea to the Caucasus and the larger Caspian region, but also serves as a buffer between Russia and Turkey. Georgia has a long and close relationship with Russia, but it is reaching out to its other neighbors and looking to the West in search of alternatives and opportunities. It signed a partnership and cooperation agreement with the European Union, participates in the Partnership for Peace, and encourages foreign investment. France, Germany, the United Kingdom,and the United States all have embassies in Tbilisi.

Georgia is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE

Because of its strategic location it is in both the Russian and American spheres of influence. In common with many ex-Soviet republics it is both influenced by and fearful of its larger neighbour. The invitation of US troops into the country^[when?] caused tension with Moscow.^{[citation needed]} The Russian government also believes that Georgia is being used by Chechen separatsts. The American government has interests in an oil pipeline passing through the country. Former president Eduard Shevardnadze attempted to balance these competing demands.^{[citation needed]} The new leadership is much closer to the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Disputes - international: Georgia relationships with Russia are at it lowest point in modern history due to Georgian-Russian espionage controversy and due to the 2008 South Ossetia war, Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia and has left the Commonwealth of Independent States.

[edit] Relations by country

[edit] Neighboring countries

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Armenia		See Armenia–Georgia relations There are nearly 248,929 Armenians in Georgia, among them 90,373 living in Javakheti and 73,229 in Tbilisi.^[1] The Georgian minority in Armenia is less sizable. Armenia and Georgia have a long history of cultural and political relations. The interaction peaked in the Middle Ages when both nations engaged in prolific cultural dialogue and allied themselves against the neighboring Muslim empires. There were frequent intermarriages between Armenian and Georgian the royal and noble families and both ethnicities intermingled in several border areas. Historic Concern: Georgian Armenians say authorities out to rid country of Armenian traces
Azerbaijan	1919-06-16	See Azerbaijan–Georgia relations There are 284,761 Azeris in Georgia. They are the largest minority of Georgia and comprise 6.5% of Georgia's population mostly in Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Shida Kartli and Mtskheta-Mtianeti. There is also a large Azeri community in the capital city of Tbilisi. The Georgian minority in Azerbaijan is less sizable. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Tbilisi. Georgia has an embassy in Baku. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
Russia		See Georgia–Russia relations On August 29, 2008, in the aftermath of the 2008 South Ossetia war, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze announced that Georgia had broken diplomatic relations with Russia. He also said that Russian diplomats must leave Georgia, and that no Georgian diplomat would remain in Russia, while only consular relations would be maintained. Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said that Russia regretted this step.^[2]
Turkey		See Georgian–Turkish relations Georgia has an embassy in Ankara and two consulates–general in Istanbul and Trabzon.^[3] Turkey has an embassy in Tbilisi and a consulate–general in Batumi.^[4] Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Black Sea Naval Co-operation Task Group (BLACKSEAFOR), the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Also Turkey is a member of NATO while Georgia is a candidate. Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Georgia

[edit] Europe

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Austria	1993-01-18	Austria is represented in Georgia through a non resident ambassador based in Vienna, and through an honorary consulate in Tbilissi. Georgia has an embassy in Vienna and an honorary consulate in Graz. Austrian Foreign Ministry: list of bilateral treaties with Georgia (in German only) Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Austria
Belarus		See Foreign relations of Belarus
Bulgaria	1992-06-05	See Bulgaria–Georgia relations Bulgaria recognized the independence of Georgie on January 15, 1992. Bulgaria has an embassy in Tbilissi.^[5] Georgia has an embassy in Sofia.^[6] Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Bulgaria
Cyprus		See Foreign relations of Cyprus
Czech Republic		See Foreign relations of the Czech Republic
Estonia		See Foreign relations of Estonia
Finland		See Foreign relations of Finland
France		See Foreign relations of France
Germany	1992-04-13	Germany recognized the independence of Georgia on March 22, 1992. Georgia has an embassy in Berlin.^[7] Germany has an embassy in Tbilissi.^[8] Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Germany German Federal Foreign Office about relations with Georgia
Hungary	1992-04-14	Georgia has an embassy in Budapest. Hungary has an embassy and an honorary consulate in Tbilissi.^[9] Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relation with Hungary
Italy	1992-04-11	See Georgia–Italy relations Georgia has an embassy in Rome. Italy has an embassy in Tbilissi. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe.
Latvia	1993-03-11	Georgia has an embassy in Riga.^[10] Latvia has an embassy and an honorary consulate in Tbilisi. Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Latvia Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Georgia
Lithuania	1994-09-16	Georgia has an embassy in Vilnius.^[11] Lithuania has an embassy in Tbilissi.^[12] Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Lithuania Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign affairs: list of bilateral treaties with Poland (in Lithuanian only)
Malta		See Georgia–Malta relations
Moldova	1992-06-25	Georgia is represented in Moldova through its embassy in Bucharest (Romania). Moldova is represented in Georgia through its embassy in Baku (Azerbaijan). Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Moldova
Poland	1992-04-28	See Georgia–Poland relations Georgia has an embassy in Warsaw. Poland has an embassy in Tbilissi.
Romania	1992-06-25	Georgia has an embassy in Bucharest and Romania has an embassy in Tbilissi. Both countries are full members of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the Black Sea Forum for Partnership and Dialogue, and the Community of Democratic Choice. Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Romania
Serbia	1995-06-26	Georgia does not have diplomatic representation in Serbia. Serbia is represented in Georgia through its embassy in Moscow (Russia). Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Serbia
Sweden		Both countries have a very close cooperation^{[neutrality disputed]} since the break away of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Tbilisi. After the war, when Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia, Georgia and Sweden both did not recognize the independence of both states. There were protests near the Russian embassy in Stockholm, as the war was going on August 12, 2008. The protests was held by a group of Georgians and Swedes.
Switzerland	1992-06-10	Switzerland maintained a consulate in Tbilisi between 1883 and 1922. Switzerland recognized Georgia as an independent state on December 23, 1991. In 1996, Switzerland opened a cooperation office in Tbilisi. Since June 2001, Switzerland has an embassy in Tbilissi.^[13] In 1997, Georgia’s Permanent Mission to the international organizations in Geneva was also accredited in Berne. Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Switzerland Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Georgia
Ukraine		See Georgia–Ukraine relations Relations between Georgia and Ukraine and between the Georgian and Ukrainian people in particular last from the Middle Ages.
United Kingdom	1992-04-27	The United Kingdom has an embassy in Tbilissi.^[14] Georgia has an embassy in London.^[15] British Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the relations with Georgia Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with the United Kingdom

[edit] Asia

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes¨
India	1992-09-28	Georgia has an honorary consulate in New Delhi. India is represented in Georgia through its embassy in Yerevan (Armenia) and an honorary consulate in Tbilissi.^[16] Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with India
Iran	1992-05-15	See Persia-Georgia relations, Georgia–Iran relations Persia and Georgia have had relations for thousands of years.
Israel	1992-06-01	See Georgia–Israel relations Georgia has an embassy in Tel Aviv. Israel has an embassy in Tbilissi. There are 13,000 Jews living in Georgia.
Japan	1992-08-03	See Georgia–Japan relations Since November 2006, Georgia has maintained an embassy in Tokyo. Japan is presently represented in Georgia through its embassy in Baku, (Azerbaijan). Japan however made plans to open an embassy in Tbilisi. Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Japan Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Georgia
Kazakhstan	1992-07-24	Georgia has an embassy in Astana and an honorary consulate in Almaty. Kazakhstan has an embassy in Tbilissi. Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relation with Kazakhstan Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relation with Georgia
Malaysia	1993-05-07	Georgia is represented in Malaysia through its embassy in Beijing (China). Malaysia is represented in Georgia through its embassy in Kiev (Ukraine). Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Malaysia
People's Republic of China	1992-06-09	People's Republic of China recognized the independence of Georgia on December 27, 1991. China has an embassy in Tbilisi.^[17] Georgia has an embassy in Beijing. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Georgia Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with China

[edit] Rest of world

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Canada		See Foreign relations of Canada
Egypt	1992-05-11	Egypt is represented in Georgia through its embassy in Yerevan (Armenia). Georgia has an embassy in Cairo.^[18] Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relation with Egypt Georgian foreign minister visits Egypt
Nicaragua		Nicaraguan-Georgian diplomatic relations ended on November 29, 2008. The Georgian Foreign Ministry said that it had cut diplomatic ties with Nicaragua in a response to the latter’s recognition of independence of breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia.^[19]
South Africa	1993-04-23	South Africa is represented in Georgia through its embassy in Kiev (Ukraine). Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with South Africa South African Department of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Georgia
United States		See Georgia – United States relations On January 9, 2009, the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze signed a Charter on Strategic Partnership, a nonbinding document outlining areas of cooperation and reiterating the U.S. support for Georgia's territorial integrity and to Georgia's NATO membership.^[20]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
The Permanent Mission of Georgia to the United Nations
United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia
Georgia v. Russia Provisional Measures Order and President Rosalyn Higgins concurring and Joint Dissenting Opinion and ASIL

[0] 2002 Georgia census.

[1] Georgia breaks relations with Russia

[2] Embassy of Georgia in Turkey

[3] Embassy of Turkey in Georgia

[4] Bulgarian embassy in Tbilissi

[5] Georgian embassy in Sofia

[6] Georgian embassy in Berlin (in Georgian and German only)

[7] German embassy in Tbilissi (in Georgian and German only)

[8] Hungarian embassy in Tbilissi

[9] Georgian embassy in Riga

[10] Georgian embassy in Vilnius

[11] Lithuanian embassy in Tbilissi

[12] Swiss embassy in Tbilissi

[13] British embassy in Tbilissi

[14] Georgian embassy in London

[15] Indian embassy in Yerevan (also accredited to Georgia)

[16] Chinese embassy in Tbilissi

[17] Georgian embassy in Cairo

[18] ttp://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=20044

[19] United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership. Civil Georgia. January 9, 2009

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