The dialogue at expert level was held in a friendly and constructive atmosphere, with an exchange on a wide range of issues of mutual interest and concern, as well as discussions on possibilities for concrete cooperation in the field of human rights. The EU delegation was headed by Mr Dirk Schuebel, Head of the Eastern Partnership Bilateral Division at the European External Action Service. The Georgian delegation was headed by Ms Tamar Beruchashvili, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
The dialogue allowed in particular for an exchange of views on the challenges and reform of the justice system and the law enforcement system, including the functioning of the prosecutor's office; elections and electoral framework; anti-discrimination policy and rights of minorities, rights of internally displaced persons and the human rights situation in Abkhazia, Georgia and South Ossetia, Georgia. The EU and Georgia also discussed human rights cooperation within international organisations, in particularat the UN. The dialogue was followed by a field trip to the administrative boundary line in Georgia between the territory administered by the government in Tbilisi and the region of South Ossetia.
The EU-Georgia human rights dialogue takes place in the context of a deepening relationship between both partners within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, in the run-up to the signature of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement.
In keeping with the EU's practice of incorporating the voice of civil society into its meetings on human rights with third countries, the EU met with representatives of Georgian NGOs and international NGOs prior to the human rights dialogue.
