Macron and Zourabichvili with the joint declaration of establishing the Amilakhvari dialogue

The Dimitri Amilakhvari Georgian-French Dialogue is a high-level format of bilateral co-operation between

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

that serves to address a wide range of co-operation issues. A declaration on launching the dialogue was signed in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

in February 2019 by the President of the French Republic

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra since 2017. He was Ministry of Economy and Finance (France), Minister of Economics, Industr ...

and the

President of Georgia The president of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს პრეზიდენტი, tr) is the ceremonial head of state of Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U ...

Salome Zourabichvili Salomé Nino Zourabichvili (born 18March 1952) is a French-born Georgian politician, former diplomat, and the fifth president of Georgia – the first female to be elected as president in the country's history. As a result of the constitutiona ...

. The dialogue bears the name of a lieutenant-colonel of the Foreign Legion,

Dimitri Amilakhvari Prince Dimitri Zedginidze-Amilakhvari, more commonly known as Dimitri Amilakhvari ( ka, დიმიტრი ამილახვარი, ; 31 October 1906 – 24 October 1942) was a French military officer of noble Georgian descent and Li ...

, cadet of the Georgian national army, who arrived in France in 1922 after the invasion of Georgia by the Soviet army. He was trained in Saint -Cyr, was engaged in the French army, was combatant of the Second World War under the orders of General Koenig and was decorated with the Cross of the Liberation by

General de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

. He died for France at the Battle of El-Alamein in Egypt .

History

The initiative to establish the dialogue was announced by the former Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic,

Jean-Yves Le Drian Jean-Yves Le Drian (; born 30 June 1947) is a French politician who served as Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs in the governments of Prime Ministers Édouard Philippe and Jean Castex (2017–2022) and as Minister of Defence under Preside ...

, on May 26, 2018, during his visit to Georgia. On February 19, 2019, during the visit of the

to France, the presidents of the two countries signed a declaration on the establishment of dialogue. On December 2, 2019, in Paris, under the co-presidency of

, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, and Davit Zalkaliani,

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს საგარეო საქმეთა მინისტრი) is the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the governmental body of Georgia ...

, the first political session of the dialogue opened..

References

{{Reflist Strategic dialogue formats of Georgia France–Georgia (country) relations