The Ambassador of Georgia in Bulgaria – Guest at President's Club

His Excellency Mikheil Ukleba, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Bulgaria, was the official guest at the festive gathering of President's Club on 15 December 2009. At the invitation of the members of the Club, the Ambassador took part in the year's final meeting of the young business leaders who are members of the organization. The event was accompanied by lively discussions addressing not only Georgia–Bulgaria business relations, but also the prospects for the future geopolitical development of the former Soviet republic. In his address, Ambassador Ukleba emphasized Georgia's aspiration for membership in NATO and the EU. He noted the overwhelming support of the country's citizens for the Euro-Atlantic course pursued by the authorities in Tbilisi and expressed confidence in the near-term realization of this goal. Regarding the business climate in the country, the diplomat shared his satisfaction with the privatization conducted in Georgia and the growing interest of foreign investors in major economic projects there. Ambassador Ukleba named one of the main drivers of Georgia's economic growth—the exceptionally well-developed trade relations with neighboring countries, as well as steadily strengthening contacts with China. He noted that all transport corridors were functioning very well—not only the overland and air corridors, but also those by sea. In response to a question from the audience about the volume of trade with Bulgaria, His Excellency cited various official sources placing the figures between USD 120 and 301 million annually. The Ambassador identified trade in copper concentrates, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics as the most significant for our bilateral relations. At the end of the discussion, all participants united around the view that Georgia and Bulgaria are "natural partners," with strengthened mutual interest and good trade relations being equally important for both countries.