Georgia ready to start free trade talks with Japan
Agenda.ge | 5 September 2018
Georgia ready to start free trade talks with Japan
Georgia is ready to start negotiations with Japan on a free trade agreement, Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze announced at a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Japan Tarō Kōno yesterday evening.
Bakhtadze says the agreement would help Georgia, which already has free trade deals with the EU, EFTA and China, to better integrate into the global economy.
Bakhtadze and Kono have also discussed an agreement on bilateral investments, the major parts of which have already been agreed upon at a political level and the two parties hope to finalise talks in October.
“This is a very important document allowing us attract more high-tech investments from Japan. We, the Georgian side, have also initiated negotiations about a free trade agreement. Japan has one of the largest economies [in the world] and we find it very important to have a free trade agreement with this country,” Bakhtadze said.
He also expressed his gratitude towards Japanese officials for financing the development of Georgia’s major transport artery, the East-West Highway with $343 million through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
