The Georgian Foreign Minister, Ms Maia Panjikidze, recently took part in the Visegrad 4 Eastern Partnership (EaP) Extended Meeting of Foreign Ministers held in Kraków. The Meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers of Ireland and Lithuania -- as current and future presidencies of the EU Council -- as well as by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-president of the European Commission, Ms Catherine Ashton, and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Mr. Štefan Füle.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry wishes to express its deep sorrow over the recent death of three Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan, and conveys its condolences to the families of the victims. Junior Sergeant Zviad Davitadze, Corporal Alexander Kvitsinadze and Corporal Vladimer Shanava died a heroic death defending both their own country and global peace and security. This is a devastating loss for their families, for Georgia's armed forces and for the country as a whole.