H.E. Tan Sri Dato’ Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Parliament Malaysia undertook an official visit to Georgia from 17-19 February 2020. The Speaker was accompanied by three Members of Parliament (MPs) namely Hon. Mr. William Leong Jee Keen (MP of Selayang), Hon. Mr. Ma’amun Sulaiman (MP of Kalabakan) and Hon. Mr. Muslimin Yahaya (MP of Sungai Besar) who is also the Chairman of the Malaysia-Georgia Parliamentary Friendship Group.
The Malaysian Speaker was received upon arrival at the Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport by Mr. George Volski, First Deputy Chairman of the Georgian Parliament and H.E. Raja Dato’ Reza Raja Zaib Shah, Ambassador of Malaysia to Georgia.
In Tbilisi, the Speaker of the Malaysian Parliament had bilateral meetings with H.E. Salome Zourabichvili, President of Georgia, H.E. Archil Talakvadze, Chairman of the Georgian Parliament, Mr. David Zalkaliani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Ms. Natela Turnava, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. Both sides discussed and exchanged views on ways to deepen Malaysia-Georgia bilateral relations.
On the last day of the visit, the Malaysian delegation visited the ‘occupation line’ in the village of Didi Khurvaleti situated at the border of Georgia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, about 60 kilometers north-west of Tbilisi to learn more and see first-hand the reality on the ground.
This was the first high level visit by a senior government official from Malaysia to Georgia since both countries established diplomatic relations in 1993. The Malaysian Speaker’s visit to Georgia was very significant and will propel Malaysia-Georgia bilateral ties to a new high.
