TBILISI. Nov 22 (Interfax) - The French Navy corvette Commandant Birot entered the Georgian port of Batumi on Friday, the press service of the government of the Ajaria autonomous republic said.
The ship's port call in Batumi comes as part of defense cooperation between France and Georgia. During the visit, the French naval ship will join Georgia's Coast Guard Service for an exercise at sea, the press service said.
Ajaria Prime Minister Tornike Rizhvadze, for his part, said it is important that French warships and ships of other NATO countries visit Batumi regularly.
"Such visits are of enormous importance for Georgia as it moves toward integration with Europe. This confirms support from partner countries," the government's press service quoted Rizhvadze as saying.
The Turkish mine sweeper TCG Amasra and Italy's support vessel ITS Vesuvio (A5329) from NATO's Standing Mine Counter Measures Group Two and U.S. Navy destroyer USS Porter (DDG-78) visited Batumi in October.