YouSaid · the spoken record

Giorgi Kvirikashvili

lines on the record: 37
first: 2016-09-24
most recent: 2017-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Georgia is a party to 14 United Nations counter- terrorism conventions and to the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism, and fulfils its commitments in that regard. Georgia is growing. Georgia is vibrant. Georgia is resilient in the face of challenges. Georgia carries its share of international responsibilities. Georgia is all of those things, because Georgia is its citizens. They are at the centre of our Government’s strategy, and that is where they will remain. As we have reached out to the world, the world has come to us. Our citizens are the beneficiaries of greater connectivity to the world. Their economic success is a prerequisite for sustained well- being and prosperity, both at home and well beyond Georgia’s borders. I speak today as one steward of our nation, with thanks to all who love and support Georgia.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Despite the challenges we face, Georgia is a significant contributor to Euro-Atlantic security. Our strategic partnership with the United States has proved to be key for our development and stability, and we are committed to deepening those ties further. The EU Global Strategy has recognized Georgia’s success as a prosperous, peaceful and stable democracy and as a significant contributor in its neighbourhood. We continue our active participation in international operations, including in Afghanistan and in the European crisis-management operations in the Central African Republic and Mali. In 2014, Georgia became a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) and joined three counter-ISIS working groups on counter-financing, on counter-messaging and on foreign terrorist fighters.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Georgians are grateful for the support of the United Nations, but the resolutions have not translated into reality for hundreds of thousands of my compatriots waiting to return to their homes, simply because one State Member of the United Nations refuses to comply with its international obligations. The Government of Georgia is providing new instruments to rebuild trust with our compatriots living across the occupation line. We are determined to make the benefits of Georgia’s European agenda available to the people on the other side of occupation line. Our substantial package of initiatives for those under occupation include providing opportunities for trans-administrative borderline trade and access to Georgia’s free trade opportunities in the global marketplace. We also offer them health care, education and other social benefits.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It has many times reaffirmed its adherence to the legally binding non-use of force. Russia has not reciprocated. Georgia’s consistent efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict are reflected in the testimonies of many countries and international organizations. I would like to thank world leaders for addressing the need of accelerating peaceful conflict resolution and for supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty during this general debate. Every year, the General Assembly adopts a resolution reiterating the right of return of all internally displaced persons and refugees to the occupied regions.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The Russian Federation has intensified the fortification of the occupation lines by installing razor-wire fences, trenches, so-called border signs and other artificial barriers. Families have even endured having razor- wire fences cut through their dwellings and farmyards. Vulnerable groups, such as people in need of medical care and schoolchildren crossing to get an education in their native language, which is prohibited in the occupied regions, have been blocked by closed crossing points. Meanwhile, Russia continues to install motion 17-29597 3/42 detectors and other technologies in order to assert full control of all crossings along the occupation line. Georgia is firmly committed to the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict. The Georgian Government complies with the EU-mediated ceasefire agreement.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“And here, too, we have put our citizens at the centre of our strategy. United Nations Members are well aware that the Russian Federation continues to occupy two historical regions of Georgia’s sovereign territory in violation of its many international obligations, including dozens of Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. Since the beginning of 2017, the Russian Federation has intensified its policy of occupation and factual annexation of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia. It has implemented so-called integration treaties and signed so-called agreements with de facto authorities to absorb Georgia’s occupied regions into Russia’s military, political, economic and social systems. It has also accelerated its military build-up in both of the occupied regions of Georgia.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“That deep-water port will be capable of handling the largest container ships, which will result in a multifold increase of Georgia’s cargo- transit capacity. Anaklia will be developed by multiple international players and will be operated by a well- known American company. Georgia is now less than 10 days from East Asia and within five days of any point in Europe. We are creating an efficient multimodal transit infrastructure that will forge links and processes, and will cement relationships among States and people from Europe to Asia. It represents the fundamental connection between building economic stability for Georgian citizens and achieving a more prosperous and peaceful region. In a world full of challenges — hot and frozen conflicts, State and non-State aggressions — Georgia is no exception.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“On the one hand, we are integrating into the EU internal market and, on the other hand, we are bringing Asian markets closer to us. That enables Georgia to use the full potential of its free trade networks as part of one of the most exciting development ventures of our time. We are contributing to the One Belt, One Road project, which will facilitate trade in high-value ________________ 21/09/2017 A/72/PV.14 goods and services between Europe and Asia, cutting significant time from the length of traditional seaborne transport around the peripheries of Eurasia. Asia and Europe will meet in that grand adventure through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project, which we are implementing together with our Turkish and Azeri partners, and Georgia’s new state-of-the-art port on the Black Sea at Anaklia.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Upgrading our infrastructure is essential so as to ensure the rapid delivery of services, achieve efficiency in tourism and logistics, and effectively take goods to market. We see that as a powerful way to create employment that pulls people out of poverty. We have agreed to a multi-year programme with the International Monetary Fund and have secured financing for projects worth several billion dollars from international financial organizations. Georgia, like Ukraine and Moldova, has signed an Association Agreement with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area agreement with the European Union (EU) and has secured visa-free travel to the EU. At the same time, Georgia has become the first country in the region to sign a free-trade agreement with China.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“This month, Moody’s upgraded the sovereign credit rating of Georgia to Ba2, acknowledging that Georgia has successfully overcome the regional shock of 2014-2016. In order to increase incentives to invest in Georgia, we have implemented a bold taxation reform, which includes abolishing the profit tax on undistributed earnings and liberalizing the tax administration system. We anticipate up to 5 per cent economic growth this year, rising to 7 per cent and higher in the coming years. We are committed to upgrading Georgia’s infrastructure. That is important in order for Georgia to realize its geostrategic aim of serving as a hub for doing business in the region, connecting East and West.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We launched an ambitious education reform in order to facilitate links between the educational system and industry and develop demand-based higher and professional 2/42 17-29597 education and enhance the economic skills and capacity of the labour force. Living in an innovative society is a key to success for our talented young people. We are further investing in our national ecosystem and in integrating it into the global one so as to open doors and build bridges connecting our innovators with world markets. Prudent macroeconomic policy has been the foundation of our success in the region’s turbulent economic environment. The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report has advanced Georgia by 97 places in the rankings since 2012.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In addition to addressing numerous contradictions in the current Constitution, the new draft introduces many new progressive initiatives, such as the right to physical integrity, the rights of persons with disabilities, the right to access to the Internet, environmental protections and many more that are in line with the recommendations of the European Commission for Democracy through Law, also know as the Venice Commission. Those commitments reflect Georgians’ aspirations to attain full membership in the European Union and NATO. Georgians understand that to be their destiny, as Georgia has long been an integral part of Europe’s broad cultural and historical tapestry. In parallel with constitutional reform, we began implementing our four-point economic reform plan aimed at ensuring quick economic growth.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The World Economic Forum ranks Georgia at sixty-third in that regard, an increase in rankings of 28. In the critical area of law enforcement and physical security, the World Bank ranks Georgia twenty-sixth with respect to combating organized crime, an increase in rankings of 41. We are not making merely cosmetic changes. We promised our people that we would introduce a parliamentary system and improve our Constitution so as to conform to the best European standards.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Our citizens feel the changes that international institutions have been clearly referring to. Georgia has advanced in all international rankings over the past five years. The Fraser Institute ranks the Georgian economy as the fifth freest in the world. We have come to grips with corruption. The Heritage Foundation ranked Georgia thirty-first in terms of freedom from corruption in 2017, an improvement from its ranking of sixty-ninth in 2012. Transparency International echoed that progress in 2016 by ranking Georgia first in the region in that regard. We have prioritized the protection of property rights. The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017 has raised Georgia’s ranking by 77 since 2012. We are committed to an independent judiciary.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-0506 (verbatimrecords@un.org). Corrected records will be reissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org). 17-29597 (E) *1729597* ________________ A/72/PV.14 21/09/2017 general elections. That resulted in our people entrusting us with increased support to lead the country. The people saw two things. First, they saw that we are committed to making democratic rights and security the key drivers of all our policies. Secondly, they saw that we offer a clear path for further reforms.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Georgia’s chairship of the Open Government Partnership will support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 16, on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. In implementing the SDGs by incorporating them into our national policies, we have seen the need for the institutional reform of the United Nations, and we support the new vision of Secretary-General Guterres as reflected in the Declaration of Support, to which we recently subscribed. When I spoke before the Assembly last year (see A/71/PV.13), Georgia was heading into This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches delivered in other languages.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“That message — their message — is straightforward: by putting Georgian citizens at the centre of our strategy, we aim to further strengthen democratic institutions, ensure peace and accelerate economic growth. Those are the essential multipliers for sustainable development, a project that connects us with the region and the world. This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Georgia’s membership in the United Nations. During that period, we have managed to transform our country from a recipient of United Nations humanitarian aid to a top reformer that was recently elected as Chair of the Open Government Partnership. Georgia brings to that task the same vision that it espouses for itself: putting its citizens at the centre of its priorities.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“At the outset, let me express my deepest condolences and sympathy to the victims of the natural disasters that have affected North America over the past several days, including the hurricanes that have devastated Caribbean island nations and parts of the United States and the earthquakes that have impacted Mexico. We convey our solidarity to the Governments and the peoples of those nations during these difficult times. No country, including Georgia, is immune from natural disasters. Solidarity is what strengthens nations when addressing such severe challenges. My fellow countrymen share with me the honour of addressing the General Assembly today, because the message that I have been entrusted to deliver is one that they understand in their bones, having personally experienced it, lived it and embraced it.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Therefore, we have started the development of a country-wide broadband system that will bring the benefits of the Internet to the most remote villages and farms. Georgia is proud to be listed among the top countries in Internet freedom. I am proud to be speaking to the Assembly on behalf of Georgia at a time when we are on the rise and at the centre of new developments connecting East and West. It is in this spirit that we seek to create a more secure and prosperous region, grounded in principles of sustainable development. We are working hard every day to take real actions that enhance the lives of our people while respecting their rights, their beliefs and their cultures. We look forward to continuing to work with the United Nations on achieving a shared vision for a better future.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We will connect regions of Georgia with each other, as well as connect Georgia with the wider region. Thanks to Georgia’s strategic location, our ports, roads and transport networks will be an important part of the ambitious and transformative Silk Road Development Plan connecting Europe to Asia. We are investing not only in infrastructure, but in policy platforms as well. The Tbilisi Silk Road forum has proved to be a major success, attracting the involvement of 35 countries. In particular, we are honoured and excited to be working with China and the other nations of the Silk Road to provide a critical piece of a new trade and investment corridor that will benefit the entire world. When we talk about connectivity, we must not omit the Internet, perhaps the greatest driver of global cooperation.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Against that backdrop, I would like to once again reaffirm that this conflict must be resolved peacefully, based on full respect for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders. We will continue to address the concerns of people living in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions and to reconcile the war-torn communities across the occupation line. To that end, we will make all the benefits of our European agenda and all economic opportunities available to the people residing in the occupied territories. Our investment in the prosperous future of a united Georgia is additional stimulus for building confidence and reconciliation. We will invest more than $5 billion in connectivity and infrastructure in the next four years.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I condemn the recent act of holding elections for the Russian State Duma in Georgia’s occupied territories, which is another part of Moscow’s annexation policy. This all happens in the absence of any international monitoring, except for the limited involvement of the European Union Monitoring Mission, which has been denied access to the occupied territories. The ongoing occupation and steps towards annexation remain the greatest existential challenge inherited by our Government. We have been seeking a workable solution with the Russian Federation. We have made some real progress in de-escalating tensions, but not all of Georgia’s steps forward have been reciprocated. The Russian Federation has yet to honour even the European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement of August 2008.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In Georgia, we are reminded of this every day by a harsh reality, namely, that 20 per cent of our country is occupied by foreign troops, territory that they took by force. Hundreds of thousands of people continue to be denied the right to return to their homes. We are grateful for the support offered by resolution 70/265, on the status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia. It is time to translate this measure of support into action. Barbed wire fences installed by the occupiers divide Georgian families and communities. The populations in the occupied regions endure consistent ethnic discrimination and gross human rights violations. Their freedom of movement and their property rights are restricted. They are even denied education in their native languages.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“For that purpose, we have set in place a new long-term comprehensive human rights strategy and action plan. In less than three weeks, we will be holding parliamentary elections in Georgia. Campaigning started more than three months ago, and this period has shown evidence of Georgia’s real democratic development. With free and pluralistic media and political environments, a strong and vocal civil society and the relevant legislative and institutional framework, we are ensuring a free, fair and transparent election process. On 8 October, the people of Georgia will be the winners, and our democracy will continue driving our country to a sustainable future. Sustainable development cannot be fully realized if it is divorced from the overriding issue of security.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We have acted swiftly and decisively to correct this. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment recently observed that the Georgian Government had turned this problem around since its election in 2012. The changes, he notes, are visible and quantifiable. We did this by putting in place legal and procedural mechanisms for combating the mistreatment of prisoners, including compensation for victims. We have enacted new anti-discrimination legislation. We have worked hard to achieve results in the areas of gender equality and women’s empowerment. We are implementing a national action plan to ensure equal opportunities for persons with disabilities. But there is still more to be done.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We overhauled the court system, the Office of the Prosecutor, judicial ethics and the responsibilities of attorneys. We gave more rights to defendants, and we ended impunity for Government officials. All Georgians are now equal before the law and can benefit from a judiciary system that has gone through several waves of reforms to reach higher levels of independence and professionalism. We are continuing the reform process of the judiciary to achieve the highest international standards. Today, Georgia ranks twenty-ninth on the Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project, ahead of a number of old and new European Union members. Other important steps address a regrettable problem we inherited, that is, past human rights violations, with particularly egregious infractions in our prisons.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“A new national e-pharmacy system, which will streamline the delivery of medicines to patients, is now being tested. With the help of our partners, special programmes to eradicate persistent diseases have been started. Georgia is poised to become one of the first countries to eliminate hepatitis C. We are especially grateful to the United States for its help with this initiative. Georgia’s development agenda is first and foremost about our citizens and their equal rights. We believe in the power of free citizens and the role of Government in ensuring freedoms and opportunities for them. Sustainable development is not possible without human rights, access to justice and effective, transparent, accountable and inclusive institutions. We have taken major steps to bolster the rule of law.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We want an education system that is competitive and delivers quality education not only to Georgian citizens, but also to foreign students. The construction of two new private technical universities, at an estimated development cost of €1 billion, started this year. We will soon be able to offer some of the best education opportunities in our region. A healthy population is also key to further growth and development. Several years ago, we launched a flagship programme for universal health care. Today, all citizens of Georgia have heath-care insurance, thereby ensuring that medical care is a reality for hundreds of thousands of our citizens for the first time. We have also encouraged private investment in the health-care system, which has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars being invested in new private hospitals.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We have launched several projects that ensure access to capital and infrastructure for people with innovative ideas, especially those interested in manufacturing or farming in Georgia. The secret to fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals and building resilient and inclusive communities lies in unlocking the hidden resource that every nation has: its people. Accordingly, education is among our top priorities. We decided to tailor our education system to ensure that it delivers for each individual and for our society and economy as a whole. We want every graduate of a professional or higher-education institution financed by the Government to be able to find his or her place in a competitive labour market.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In 2015, the unemployment rate continued to decline and is now at its lowest level in the past 12 years. Salaries and wages are up substantially, as compared with several years ago. Georgia’s economy is growing despite the downturns all around us, and foreign direct investment is approximately 100 per cent higher than in 2012. That translates directly into jobs for Georgians. Georgia now ranks fourth in terms of the ease of doing business in Europe and Central Asia and is on the path to becoming a true start-up nation. In the history of Georgia since its independence, there have never been so many opportunities for hard-working people to launch or grow their own businesses. Those with an entrepreneurial spirit have more chances to succeed than ever.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Georgia already has one of the lowest tax burdens in the world, but it is liberalizing its tax scheme further. To encourage business to invest in development, and therefore in new jobs, we have taken the decision to abolish a profit tax on undistributed earnings. Although it is a costly reform, it ensures the long-term sustainability of businesses and jobs. We are also improving the tax administration system by strengthening the role of the judiciary in decisions on tax inspections, thereby ensuring increased protection for the private sector. The trend lines for Georgia continue to improve. The World Bank has just reported that Georgia’s poverty rate dropped by more than 10 per cent in the period 2012-2014. That is a major accomplishment.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Let me reiterate that we remain committed to sharing our experience and extending support to those who are pursuing transformation. Within Georgia, our goal is to ensure maximum inclusion of all stakeholders in the decision-making process. We have created several platforms for engaging in regular dialogue with civil society and private-sector representatives. In promoting good governance, our aim is to make all public services even more accessible for business, and we have launched an ambitious project known as the Tbilisi Business House in our capital. With its online platform, it will serve as a one-stop shop for businesses and as a front office for all Government bodies. Central to good governance is fair and efficient tax collection.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Our Government has a vision on how to translate the Goals into national actions. This year, we launched a comprehensive four-point reform plan, which is about making the development of our country a success for each and every citizen of Georgia and for the development and stability of the region. Effective governance with transparent and accountable institutions is the key to building peaceful and inclusive societies and promoting sustainable development. Focusing on SDG 16, we have made a clean break with the past by prioritizing good governance. Two days ago, together with Estonia, the Republic of Korea and the United Nations Development Programme, my country organized a special high-level cross-regional event aimed at sharing success stories on implementing SDG 16.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“A year ago we unanimously adopted a universal plan to better the world by setting 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the 2030 Agenda. The much-needed transformative agenda for 2030 is indeed impressive. But let us be frank: despite the phenomenal blueprint of the Millennium Development Goals, we as an international community could not live up to the challenge. I welcome this year’s focus on the transformative power of the SDGs. Let us make sure that in the next 15 years we do our utmost to really fulfil, if not all, at least a good majority of the 17 Goals. To do so, we need to succeed nationally and, at the same time, support others in meeting their national goals. We also must remember how interrelated the Goals are. We have to strive for peace and security by fostering development, and vice versa.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“At its core, Georgia’s foreign policy is aimed at building strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with the countries of our region and beyond. This path, chosen by our people, leads to more stability, security, peace and prosperity in our country and the region. The work never ends, however. Today, we are poised to thrive in a new millennium. We are building an innovation-driven community with all generations looking to embark upon an ever-brighter future. We are building a country that will ensure the unification of war-torn communities and abolish the Glienicke Bridge, versions of which still exist in the twenty-first century owing to the ongoing occupation of two of our regions, dividing peaceful societies on both sides.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“And we are proud to be ranked as the fifth-freest economy in the world, thus ensuring openness and integration into the global market and equal opportunities for all people interested in doing business in Georgia. Since July, Georgia has been an associated country of the European Union and is harmonizing its policies, institutions, sectors and market rules with those of the European Union. We are an aspirant country to NATO, having the deepest and most comprehensive partnership with that organization of any nation. In the past few weeks, the United States Government, the European Union and NATO all took actions to emphasize that Georgia’s future lies within the European and Euro-Atlantic community.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“It is my honour to address the General Assembly. Georgia has promoted the values of the United Nations since regaining its independence 25 years ago. In return, the United Nations has served as a partner for us — one of the oldest nations in the world — in developing a free and democratic State. Twenty-five years ago, few of us could have imagined that today Georgia would have transformed itself from a country ravaged by civil war into a dynamic European democracy. We have made great progress in building strong and effective State institutions; ensuring the freedom of civil society, the media and markets; and on social cohesion and the rule of law.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)