Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto presents the open copy of his credentials to Deputy Foreign Minister Khatuna Totaldze at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia  (Photo from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia)

07 MARCH 2025, TBILISI, GEORGIA — H.E. Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto presented the Open Copy of his Credentials to Deputy Foreign Minister Khatuna Totaldze at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Deputy Minister Totaldze welcomed Ambassador Bensurto and thanked the Philippines for its support in bilateral and multilateral formats, especially with regards to its sovereignty and internationally recognized borders. Georgia looks forward to fostering closer and stronger ties in between its executive and legislative bodies, including pursuing high-level visits.

Ambassador Bensurto expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and shared the enthusiasm of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to deepen and broaden the relations between the Philippines and Georgia. He shared the success of the recently concluded 4th Political Consultations between the countries. He shared the view that the bedrock of good political and economic relations are strong people-to-people relations. With clear objectives and specific projects, the Ambassador wants to deepen these relations, especially since Georgia is becoming a popular destination for Filipino tourists, especially those residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. 

As fellow lawyers and academic lecturers, both expressed views and perspectives on public international law as well as the importance of teaching the next generation regarding matters of geopolitical importance, both in the West Philippine Sea and in the Southern Caucus . Ambassador Bensurto invited Deputy Minister Totaldze to become a guest lecturer to share the European perspective at Philippine universities.

In attendance were Ms. Irma Kavatardze, Deputy Director of the Department for Asia & the Pacific and Mr. Aleksandre Kekelia, Counsellor of the Division of Central and East Asian Countries Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, as well as Third Secretary and Vice Consul, Mr. Emile Josef Garcia from the Embassy of the Philippines in Ankara,Türkiye. END.

Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto presents the open copy of his credentials to Deputy Foreign Minister Khatuna Totaldze at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia (Photo from Embassy)

Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto has a brief tet-a-tete with Deputy Foreign Minister Khatuna Totaldze at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia (Photo from Embassy)

Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto and Vice Consul Emile Josef B. Garcia (left) meets with  Deputy Foreign Minister Khatuna Totaldze, Ms. Irma Kavatardze, Deputy Director, and Mr. Aleksandre Kekelia, Counsellor the Department for Asia & the Pacific of the Division of Central and East Asian (Photo from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia)

Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto (center, right) with Ms. Irma Kavatardze, Deputy Director (right) and Mr. Aleksandre Kekelia (left) Counsellor of the Division of Central and East Asian Countries of the Asia-Pacific Department and Mr. Goga Gelitashvili (center, left) of Diplomatic Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia (Photo from Embassy)