TBILISI. March 24 (Interfax) - Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili discussed on Friday with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is paying an official visit to Tbilisi, the process of Georgia's European integration, the Georgian presidential administration said.
Zourabichvili said at the meeting that the people of Georgia would not understand the second refusal to grant the status of a candidate for a member of the European Union to the country and "would consider themselves abandoned by Europe in such difficult situation," the administration said.
"The president emphasized the importance of the visit of the foreign minister of a partner state of Georgia as an expression of Germany's unwavering support to Georgia's independence and European integration," it said.
Zourabichvili said at the meeting that during her recent visit to the United States she had a telephone call with the German president who reiterated strong support to Georgia, it said. "Your presence her is clear confirmation of it," the Georgian president said.
Baerbock, for her part, said during the meeting that she is in Tbilisi because she wants to see Georgia and its people as a part of the EU, the administration said. "This is why I am here and it is what my government supports. Georgia must continue reforms to receive the candidate status," she said.