On May 4-5, Ankara (Turkey) hosted the 61st General Assembly of the PABSEC, attended by the member of the Parliamentary Delegation, Ramaz Nikolaishvili.

The central topic of the Session was the Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy in Changing Global Dynamics, Development, Peace, and Security.

On May 4, Ramaz Nikolaishvili delivered a speech on behalf of the Georgian Parliament at the PABSEC Summit of Speakers: “Georgia, as one of the founders of BSEC and PABSEC, is highly interested in the successful functioning of these two organizations and the enhancement of the links between the member states. Unfortunately, despite the intensive attempts of cooperation, we still encounter fundamental challenges, namely, one of the founders of the organization, the Russian Federation keeps obviously violating the fundamental principles of not only the UN but BSEC and PABSEC as well. This organization aspires to convert the Black Sea region into a region for peace, security and welfare, as embodied in the BSEC Charter; however, the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine lead us to the devastations in our region. We believe that the attempts of the forceful alteration of state borders not only impede the political and economic cooperation prospects in the Black Sea region but undermine the wider security architecture of our region. This crisis once again manifested the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in the solution of common challenges that affect not only the Black Sea region but a wider world”.

For the second time in a row, the Assembly, including the Georgian Delegation, rejected the approval of the mandates for the Russian Delegation.

Within the General Assembly, R. Nikolaishvili held a bilateral meeting with the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Mustafa Şentop and deliberated the parliamentary cooperation aspects.

The meeting was as well held with the Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to PABSEC, Anna Purtova. The parties discussed the developments in Ukraine. R. Nikolaishvili, on behalf of the Parliament, reaffirmed the intact support of Georgia to Ukraine.