Georgia will not participate in 3+3 meeting in Tehran

3+3 meeting in Tehran

On October 23rd a 3+3 meeting will be held in Tehran with the participation of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Turkey. Georgia does not want to participate in this meeting, as reported to Interpress-Novosti by the Georgian Foreign Ministry.

What does the “3+3” format mean?

The idea of “a new platform of regional cooperation to ensure lasting peace and stability” or “3+3” in the South Caucasus belongs to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He came up with this initiative after the second Karabakh war in 2020.

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The first meeting in the new format was held in 2021, also without Georgia, although the original idea included its participation. According to Erdogan’s idea, the governments of Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and Iran were to participate in the meetings of the “3+3” format. According to the Turkish president, the establishment of peace in the Caucasus region is possible through regional cooperation and will benefit the entire planet.

Initially, official Tbilisi said that Georgia “should somehow participate in this format so that the country does not lose its function in the region,” but so far Georgia has not done so.

In March 2023, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that official Tbilisi was still considering joining the 3+3 format. This statement provoked a strong reaction among pro-Western Georgian political parties and the civil sector, as they strongly oppose Georgia’s inclusion in anti-Western platforms.