Ketevan Tsikhelashvili met with residents of Pankisi Gorge in the State Chancellery. On the meeting which lasted for more than an hour the introduced to the State Minister the issues that are the reason of their concern and highlighted the necessity of intensifying communication between the Government and population.

According to Islam Gorgishvili, one of the participants of the meeting, they received from the State Minister a promise that all the recommendations of the locals will be considered. He said: "After the incident in the Gorge, this was the first step taken to communicate with the population and for many other good things. We hope and got the promise that this will continue".

During the meeting, the State Minister emphasized that she is ready to talk about issues that are the reasons of Pankisi population concern.

"It was a very interesting and constructive meeting and we were ready for dialogue, communication, full openness. We are ready to discuss all the topics that are relevant for the population of Pankisi Gorge. Of course I am ready to visit the Gorge and to meet the locals, to continue the practice that we already have in the Gorge. I have met some of the participants of today’s meeting earlier. Of course, there are many issues that are especially interested for young people, for teachers and pupils. We also had a lot of meetings with elders and it is very important to meet with all segments of the population. The date and format are determined. Once again, there is full readiness both from our and their side. I think that all issues should be resolved through this dialogue and communication. It does not have any alternatives and naturally this is our general interest. The interest of the Pankisi Gorge which is naturally the same as the State interest", - said Tsikhelashvili after the meeting.

Part of residents of Pankisi Gorge also met with the Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II.