Georgia Defies Russia, Initials Association Agreement with EU

Georgia has initialled an EU association and free trade pact at the Vilnius summit.
The document was signed by Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia David Zalkaliani.

"With the formalization of this agreement, we are now within the legal framework of integration with the European Union," Zalkaliani said, as cited by Kyiv Post.

"This is not an agreement on Georgia's accession to the EU, but the process of European integration becomes irreversible with this agreement. We are entering a very important stage of integration with the European Union," he added.

EU’s influence in the former Soviet Union has been expected to be put to the test at the "Eastern Partnership" summit opening in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Last week, Ukraine decided to put off the signing of long-discussed association and free-trade agreements with the EU.

During the summit, the EU is expected to sign the framework agreement on Georgia's participation in EU crisis management missions, to initial the Association Agreements, including Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTAs) with Georgia and Moldova, to sign a visa facilitation agreement with Azerbaijan and to initial an aviation agreement (Common Aviation Area, CAA) with Ukraine.

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