**Belarus Supports Georgia’s Sovereignty**
The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has expressed support for Georgia’s sovereignty and statehood. During a ceremony on March 11, he received the credentials of ambassadors, including Georgia’s ambassador to Belarus, Giorgi Saganelidze.
Lukashenko said that Georgia should do everything in its people’s interests and emphasized the historical ties between the two nations. He added that Belarus remains open to strengthening relations with Georgia and has no problems with their current relationship.
**Georgia-Belarus Ties Deepen**
Saganelidze, who began his mission in Minsk in the best possible mood, echoed Lukashenko’s sentiments. He noted the positive attitude between the peoples of the two countries and expressed optimism about bringing Belarusian-Georgian relations to a higher level of cooperation.
The ambassador also emphasized that peace in both countries and the region is the most important thing. He added that if both sides want closer dialogue, it can be developed further.
**Complicated History**
However, there has been controversy surrounding Lukashenko’s visit to occupied Abkhazia. In 2022, he met with the Kremlin-backed leader of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania. Georgia’s President, Salome Zurabishvili, expressed deep concern and labeled the visit as unacceptable.
Additionally, in February 2023, Lukashenko received Bzhania in Minsk, which was condemned by the Georgian Foreign Ministry. However, despite this, the relations between the two governments are allegedly closer than meets the eye.
Georgia and Belarus have cultivated security and law enforcement cooperation. In April 2015, an agreement on cooperation in the fight against organized crime was signed. This collaboration expanded to include security services in August 2016.
The visiting head of the Belarusian KGB signed an agreement with his Georgian counterpart, which included provisions for operational and technical cooperation. An agreement on the exchange and mutual protection of classified information was also signed in December 2017.
**Lingering Questions**
Despite this cooperation, there are still questions about the implementation details of these agreements. The lack of transparency has left doubts, especially given the similarities in repressive methods between Belarus and Georgia.
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