Today, at the Administration of the Government of Georgia an introductory meeting was held between the Chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues, Zaza Vashakmadze, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Georgia, Walid Abu-Haya.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Chairman of the Agency congratulated the Ambassador on the peaceful end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, his appointment to the position and expressed hope that close and fruitfull relations would be established between the Agency and the Embassy. He provided the Ambassador with information on Georgia's religious policy, in particular - on the state's funding of religious denominations, the transfer of religious buildings, the activities of the Interreligious Council and the projects implemented by the Agency. The Chairman of the Agency focused special attention on the facts of violation of the basic rights, including religious rights of ethnic Georgians living in the occupied territories of Georgia, A/R of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.

Zaza Vashakmadze touched upon the initiative to grant the status of an intangible cultural heritage monument to the 26-century-old Georgian-Jewish relationship and emphasized that this friendship has no analogues in the world.

Ambassador Walid Abu-Haya thanked the Chairman of the Agency for his reception. He emphasized the warm and special attitude of Georgian Jews living in Israel towards Georgia and Georgians.

The meeting was attended by: Nino Asatiani, Senior Specialist of the Agency's Strategic Research, Analysis and Regional Service and Natia Gudadze, the Protocol Manager.