By Trend

Georgia has become a member of the Governing Council of the Community of Democracies (CoD), a global intergovernmental coalition created in 2000 to support democratic values and standards worldwide, Trend reports citing Georgian media outlets.

Georgia will be the 30th member of the Governing Council of CoD, standing among the states like the US, UK, Poland, Finland, Japan, Hungary and others.

"As a leader in democratic transformation in the region, strengthened by the commitment of Georgian people to the values and standards of democracy, Georgia will add a valuable voice to the Community’s Governing Council. I am very pleased to welcome Georgia as a new member state and look forward to working closely together within the CoD to promote, protect, and advance democracy worldwide,” CoD Secretary General Thomas E. Garrett stated.

CoD says that Georgia’s engagement with the Community of Democracies began with the adoption of the Warsaw Declaration by Georgia at the Community’s founding meeting in 2000 and has continued over the years with Georgia’s participation as an observer at the Community’s 2002 ministerial conference and as a participant in all other ministerial conferences.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Lasha Darsalia underlined that Georgia, as a signatory of the Warsaw Declaration, is a strong supporter of the principles that underpin the Community of Democracies and is committed to upholding core democratic values enshrined in the Warsaw Declaration.

CoD states that the membership of Georgia will add to the diversity of the Governing Council, which includes member states from most regions of the world and at different stages of democracy.