Head of Mission addresses students of Free University in Tbilisi

On 17 May 2017, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Ambassador Kęstutis Jankauskas, visited the Free University of Tbilisi, where he gave a lecture on "The EU’s 60-th anniversary and EUMM in the context of European Security and Defence Policy".

Prior to the lecture, Head of Mission together with his colleagues was offered a very interesting comprehensive tour around the University Campus.

The lecture opened with background information on the establishment of the EU, main achievements of the EU over the last sixty years, and key milestones of the European-Georgian relations, including EU Association Agreement, DCFTA, visa-liberalisation and EU Assistance to Georgia.

Further, Head of Mission Jankauskas continued explaining the nature of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) in general and, CSDP Missions in particular. The lecture also encompassed the history of the deployment of the EUMM to Georgia, description of its mandate’s pillars and activities on the ground, in particular 24/patrolling  and monitoring. It also touched upon the implementation of the six-point ceasefire agreement, use of confidence building mechanisms, such as the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meetings and the Hotline, as well as engagement with Georgian government structures, and cooperation with international and local interlocutors.

During his presentation, the Head of Mission emphasized  the vital importance of the Mission’s presence in Georgia, and its solid contribution to the stability on the ground, as well as providing information to relevant EU policy making  bodies in Brussels and EU member states capitals.

A lively question-and-answer session concluded the meeting, where curious future practitioners, experts and academics of International Relations, Business Administration, Governance and Social Sciences and lawyers sought the opinion of the Head of Mission concerning the ongoing activities of the EUMM within the wider context of conflict management and resolution process in Georgia.