PM: Georgia’s sovereignty has been secured through diplomacy

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has said diplomacy has been the country’s main instrument for protecting its sovereignty, independence and national interests, speaking at a leaders’ panel at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Kobakhidze said Georgia has a long diplomatic tradition shaped by its position at the crossroads of major powers, arguing that the country has historically survived in a challenging geopolitical environment.

“Georgia is 23 centuries old,” he said, adding that diplomacy was embedded in the country’s “genetic code”.

He said that throughout centuries of existence between empires, many of which no longer exist, Georgia had managed to endure, with diplomacy serving as its main tool for preserving sovereignty and independence.

The prime minister said that since restoring independence in the 1990s, Georgia had made mistakes due to what he described as insufficient pragmatism and diplomatic experience at the time, but added that lessons had been learned.

He said these experiences had helped the country strengthen stability and improve its approach to international relations.

Kobakhidze added that all states should prioritise diplomatic solutions when addressing conflicts and policy challenges, arguing that negotiation should take precedence over force.