President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday welcomed visiting Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, with military honours, according to Agerpres.

The welcoming delegation included Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, as well as presidential advisers Luminita Odobescu, Sergiu Nistor, Cosmin Marinesu, and Daniela Barsan.

The two presidents will have one-on-one official talks, at the end of which they will hold a joint news conference.

Zourabichvili’s visit to Bucharest takes place in an anniversary context, the 30th anniversary of restored diplomatic ties between Romania and Georgia.

According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, in their the political talks, Iohannis and Zourabichvili will focus on recent regional and international developments, especially the profound change in the security environment of the Black Sea region amidst the ongoing Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. Foreign Minister Aurescu will also participate in the conversations.

Also discussed will be NATO Madrid Summit decisions with relevance in this area and the June European Council in Brussels regarding Georgia’s European perspective.

Discussions will also focus on concrete ways to increase connectivity between Romania and Georgia by capitalising on the transit potential between Europe and Asia of the two countries in terms of transport, energy and people-to-people contacts.

At the end of the talks, the two presidents will sign a joint statement establishing a strategic partnership between Romania and Georgia.

Zourabichvili is also scheduled to meet Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca and Speaker of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies Marcel Ciolacu.

Her visit to Romania is paid on an official invitation from Iohannis.

Agerpres