Envoys from Georgia and Ukraine celebrated historic association agreements between their countries and the European Union in a reception here in Seoul on Wednesday.

Georgian Ambassador Nikoloz Apkhazava and Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Marmazov hosted a reception that featured Georgian and Ukrainian wine and spirits for government officials and dozens of foreign envoys, including the European Union Ambassador Tomasz Kozlowski, and many other envoys representing EU countries.

Georgia’s association agreement with the EU casts the South Cacusus nation politically as well as economically with the West. 

Amid rising tensions and tough rhetoric from Russia, leaders from Georgia and Ukraine, and tiny Moldova, signed the deal in a formal ceremony in Brussels on June 27. No Moldovan representative was at Wednesday’s reception, ostensibly because Moldova does not have a diplomatic mission in Seoul.

Ukrainian President Petr Poroshenko signed the final economic part of the agreement on association and free trade area between Ukraine and the EU on the sidelines of an EU summit held in Brussels on June 27.

The previous president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, suspended the signing of the association deal with the EU in November 2013 to study the agreement more thoroughly.

Yanukovych’s decision triggered massive anti-government protests that frequently turned violent and eventually resulted in the overthrow of the government in late February.

“(Georgia’s) path toward European integration was full of external and internal challenges, including economic embargo and military aggression from Russia. Notwithstanding this Georgia steadily continues the way toward its European future. Our choice and commitment have made the European integration of Georgia irreversible,” said Georgian Ambassador Nikoloz Apkhazava during the event.

(ephilip2014@heraldcorp.com)