Georgia's location, nestled between the Black Sea, Russia, and Turkey, renders it strategically important. It is developing as the gateway from the Black Sea to the Caucasus and the larger Caspian region, but also serves as a buffer between Russia and Turkey. Georgia has a long and tumultuous relationship with Russia, but it is reaching out to its other neighbours and looking to the West in search of alternatives and opportunities. It signed a partnership and cooperation agreement with the European Union, participates in the Partnership for Peace, and encourages foreign investment. France, Germany, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States all have embassies in Tbilisi. Georgia in 2004-2008 sought to become a member of NATO, but did not succeed in the face of strong Russian opposition.[1]
Georgia is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE.Because of its strategic location, Georgia is in both the Russian and American spheres of influence,[2] however Georgia's relationship with Russia is at its lowest point since 1921 due to controversies regarding espionage and the Russo-Georgian War. As a result, Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia and has left the Commonwealth of Independent States.[3] [4]
List of countries which Georgia maintains diplomatic relations with:
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
Algeria | See Algeria–Georgia relations | ||
Egypt | [45] | See Egypt–Georgia relations
| |
South Africa | See Georgia–South Africa relations
|
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
Brazil | April 1993 | See Brazil–Georgia relations
| |
Canada | 23 July 1992 | See Canada–Georgia relations
| |
Mexico | [47] | See Georgia–Mexico relations
| |
Nicaragua | [50] — [51] | See Georgia–Nicaragua relations Nicaraguan-Georgian diplomatic relations established on 19 September 1994 and ended on 29 November 2008. The Georgian Foreign Ministry said that it had cut diplomatic ties with Nicaragua in a response to the latter's recognition of independence of breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia. | |
United States | [52] | See Georgia–United States relations On 9 January 2009, the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze signed a Charter on Strategic Partnership, a nonbinding document outlining areas of cooperation and reiterating the U.S. support for Georgia's territorial integrity and to Georgia's NATO membership.[53] |
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
Armenia | [54] | See Armenia–Georgia relations
| |
Azerbaijan | [56] | See Azerbaijan–Georgia relations
| |
China | [57] | See China–Georgia relations
| |
Georgia is represented in Timor by its embassy in Jakarta.[59] | |||
See Georgia–Hong Kong relations | |||
India | [60] | See Georgia–India relations | |
[62] | See Persia-Georgia relations, Georgia–Iran relations
| ||
See Georgia–Iraq relations | |||
Israel | [63] | See Georgia–Israel relations
| |
Japan | [64] | See Georgia–Japan relations
Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Japan | |
Kazakhstan | [65] | See Georgia–Kazakhstan relations
| |
Kuwait |
| ||
Kyrgyzstan |
| ||
Malaysia | [68] | See Georgia–Malaysia relations
| |
Myanmar | |||
| |||
[69] | See Georgia–South Korea relationsThe establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Georgia began on 14 December 1992.[70]
| ||
[74] — [75] | See Georgia–Syria relations Georgia began the procedure of terminating diplomatic relations with Syria due to Damascus' recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. | ||
none | Republic of China passports are not valid for entry in Georgia, while the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared Georgia as a "non-friendly country" to Taiwan.[76] | ||
Tajikistan | See Georgia–Tajikistan relations
| ||
Turkey | [78] | See Georgia–Turkey relations
| |
United Arab Emirates |
|
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
Albania | [81] | See Albania–Georgia relations | |
Austria | [82] |
| |
Belarus | See Belarus–Georgia relations
| ||
Bulgaria | [83] | See Bulgaria–Georgia relations
| |
Croatia | See Croatia–Georgia relations
| ||
Cyprus | [86] |
| |
Denmark | [87] |
| |
Estonia | See Estonia–Georgia relations | ||
Finland | See Finland–Georgia relations | ||
France | [88] | See France–Georgia relations
| |
Germany | [89] | See Georgia–Germany relations
| |
Greece | See Georgia–Greece relations
| ||
Hungary | [92] | See Georgia–Hungary relations
| |
Iceland | See Georgia–Iceland relationsBoth countries established diplomatic relations on 21 September 1992. | ||
Italy | [94] | See Georgia–Italy relations
| |
Latvia | [95] | See Georgia–Latvia relations
| |
See Georgia–Liechtenstein relations | |||
Lithuania | [97] | See Georgia–Lithuania relations
| |
See Georgia–Luxembourg relations | |||
Malta | [100] | See Georgia–Malta relations | |
[101] | See Georgia–Moldova relations
| ||
See Georgia–Monaco relations | |||
See Georgia–Montenegro relations | |||
Netherlands | [102] [103] | See Georgia–Netherlands relations
| |
See Georgia–Norway relations | |||
Poland | [105] | See Georgia–Poland relations
| |
Portugal |
| ||
Romania | [106] | See Georgia–Romania relations
| |
—[107] | See Georgia–Russia relations On 29 August 2008, in the aftermath of the 2008 South Ossetia war, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze announced that Georgia had broken diplomatic relations with Russia. He also said that Russian diplomats must leave Georgia, and that no Georgian diplomat would remain in Russia, while only consular relations would be maintained. Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said that Russia regretted this step.[108] | ||
Serbia | [109] | See Georgia–Serbia relations
| |
Slovenia | 13 January 1993 | See Georgia–Slovenia relations | |
Spain | See Georgia–Spain relations
| ||
Sweden | [111] | See Georgia–Sweden relations
| |
Switzerland | [112] | See Georgia–Switzerland relations
| |
Ukraine | [114] | See Georgia–Ukraine relations Relations between Georgia and Ukraine and between the Georgian and Ukrainian people in particular last from the Middle Ages. | |
United Kingdom | [115] | See Georgia–United Kingdom relations
| |
See Georgia–Holy See relations
|
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
Australia | [118] |
| |
Fiji | [119] | See Fiji–Georgia relations | |
[123] | While their ties have been limited, Kiribati's President Anote Tong met with Georgian Foreign Affairs Minister Maia Panjikidze in September 2013 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Kiribati has been a steadfast supporter of Georgia's territorial integrity since then, despite Russia's attempts to lobby Pacific states like Nauru, Tuvalu and Vanuatu to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In 2018, Kiribati was one of the nations to vote in favor of the Georgia-sponsored UN resolutions calling for the return of internally displaced persons from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia is represented in Kiribati via its embassy in Canberra, Australia. | ||
Tuvalu | [124] —[125] [126] | On 16 February 2012 Georgia issued a presidential order ending diplomatic relations with Tuvalu. This comes in response to a visit by the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Willy Telavi, to Abkhazia and South Ossetia in September 2011, where he announced that the Pacific nation would recognise the two states. However, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sopoaga retracted the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 31 March 2014 when Tuvalu's Foreign Minister Taukelina Finikaso signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations with Georgia. Tuvalu's Foreign Minister said that his country supports Georgia's territorial integrity in its international recognized borders.[127] |
Georgia has established relations with 185 countries and the Order of Malta. Georgia has terminated its diplomatic relations with Russia,[108] Nicaragua[51] and Syria.[75]
Georgia has not yet established diplomatic relations with: