After the meeting, Mikheil Saakashvili and Catherine Ashton held a joint press conference on Piazza Square in the centre of Batumi. Georgian President said Georgia was always a member of Europe. He said the county has done very much on its way to constructing an European state, although much has been left to do and support by EU is necessary for that.

The president spoke in details about Catherine Ashton`s first visit to Georgia and the first round of EU-Georgia talks on the agreement on Georgia's associated membership to EU.

Baroness Ashton on her side reiterated EU`s clear support to Georgia and stressed the reforms carried out in the country.

`This square is a symbol of contemporary Georgia, because right here today we are launching talks on Georgia`s associated membership to EU, which will be followed by Free Trade Agreement and visa -free regime. Few years ago, this town was the most unpromising, the most criminal on the Black Sea coast, but today it is the most fast-developing town. This square is unfinished, the reforms are also unfinished. But the construction started here on March 1 and this demonstrates that Georgia is being constructed so rapidly. Georgia is not going to Europe, it is already in Europe and it is returning to European institutions`, the president said.

`The purpose of our reforms is to create the first European state in teh Caucasian history. We have done so much and we need your assistance to do much. We would like to walk this way with you.

`The symbol of Free Batumi is also hope for future free Sukhumi and free Tskhinvali, hope for free Georgia based on principles of liberty.`Our Freedom Today`, the words from our national anthem is the main motive principle of me and all members of my government`, Mikheil Saakashvili said.

`We have always had a strategic stability and prosperity and development of democracy in our Eastern neighbourhood. The Eastern Partnership to be established last year, has given new impetus to our efforts to create the close possible links between EU and its Eastern neighbours. Our relations with the South Caucasus in particular are developing rapidly. To the point we will be now able to launch these negotiations here today. And as you know, negotiations for association agreements for Azerbaijan and Armenia will be launched tomorrow in Baku and in Yerevan on Monday.

`I am confident that all these agreements will be ambitious and forward-looking. And they will provide the framework for new relationship based on political association and economic integration. And I firmly believe, by strengthening these relationships between EU and Georgia, we can contribute Georgia`s democratic development, help to secure its long-term stability, build prosperity and eradicate poverty. The ambitions, that I know you hold, are the core of your work for this country.

`The negotiations will of course require the considerable efforts on all sides. And this context the EU is committed to start negotiations for a deep and comprehensive free trade area. Georgia is of course ready for this. And to make that step, Georgia needs to make a sufficient progress on its way to building democracy.

`We support Georgia`s territorial integrity and do not recognize independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. We continuingly call on Russia to fulfil the six-point cease-fire agreement. We of course always support peaceful resolution of problems. We welcome the Georgian government`s action plan towards the conflict regions. We consider Georgia`s efforts to establish relationship with Europe very important and we hope Georgia also will become EU`s reliable partner`, Catherine Ashton said.