US State Secretary Pompeo, Georgian PM speak on phone: ‘We’ll always support Georgia’s sovereignty in face of Russian occupation’
US State Secretary Mike Pompeo (R) and Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia held a phone conversation yesterday.
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US State Secretary Mike Pompeo and Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia have spoken on the phone and discussed a range of issues, including the October parliamentary elections, Georgia’s ‘effective response’ to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s redoubled occupation efforts during the pandemic.
The phone conversation yesterday was held due to the postponement of the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership charter session due to the pandemic, with the officials expressing hope the session will take place by the end of the year.
Spoke with Prime Minister @GakhariaGiorgi today on the importance of holding free, fair, and transparent elections in Georgia this October. We will always support Georgia’s sovereignty in the face of Russian occupation.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 27, 2020
Pompeo praised the ‘effective steps’ taken by the Georgian government in response to the coronavirus
Gakharia thanked Pompeo for the US's efforts for years to support the Georgian health system, including the building of the Lugar Centre, and the country’s support in the fight of the coronavirus. Gakharia underlined US assistance in many directions as the base of the strategic partnership of the two countries,” the government of Georgia press office reports.
- Georgia has received 4.3 bln in financial aid from US in past 28 years
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The press office says that Gakharia thanked Pompeo ‘for his personal support’ for Georgia’s democratic and security advancement, adding that ‘Georgia will be happy to host you on an official visit at a convenient time for you.’
Gakharia briefed Pompeo on the ‘country’s major security challenge’ – the Russian occupation of Georgian territories and Russia’s redoubled occupation efforts during the pandemic which included the illegal detention of Georgian citizens.
Pompeo reiterated the US’s firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Enjoyed speaking with @SecPompeo about the strength of the US-Georgia strategic partnership & new areas of cooperation. I thanked him for supporting our Constitional changes & underscored our committment to an independent judiciary and holding free and fair elections this fall.
— Giorgi Gakharia (@GakhariaGiorgi) July 27, 2020
The officials also discussed Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration process, economic cooperation, the attraction of American investments in Georgia and the importance of Black sea security for the whole region and Euro-Atlantic security.
Georgia is a reliable partner of the US, NATO and the EU in the Black Sea region,” Gakharia said.
Pompeo praised the ‘high-professionalism’ of Georgian soldiers in the NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.
Gakharia said that the recently adopted constitutional changes by the Georgian parliament will ensure a more pluralist parliament and will play a positive role in Georgia’s democratic development.
We have also taken a genuine portion of the OSCE/ODIHR election recommendations into account. We have spared no efforts to further develop the election environment in the country,” Gakharia said.
Gakharia praised the role of US Ambassador Kelly Degnan for further strengthening strategic cooperation between the US and Georgia.
The US and UNDP representation to Georgia say that they are ‘concerned and alarmed’ by the shooting and illegal detention of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze, 33, by the Russian-controlled occupation forces on July 11.
The Georgian parliament is discussing amendments to the country’s electoral code which come following the adoption of the election bill on June 29.
The Georgian parliament has passed the election bill drafted with the mediation of the diplomatic corps in its third and final reading earlier today. 117 MPs voted for and three went against the bill which will institute a more proportional electoral system for this autumn’s parliamentary elections. The United National Movement and European Georgia opposition parties refused to participate in the vote, stating that with the continued incarceration of the co-founder of opposition-minded TV channel Giorgi Rurua, the ruling party ‘did not fully abide by the March 8 election agreement.’
Georgian Foreign Ministry says that Russia has been particularly active in its creeping annexation of more Georgian territories over the past two months and its (Russia’s) fight against the US-built Lugar Centre in Tbilisi has become intense.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has responded that ‘some Congressmen will praise us, some will criticise us. However, the objective reality is that the US-Georgia strategic partnership faces no threats, as well as American businesses in Georgia. US-Georgia relations are at an all-time high.' Gakharia stated that the American political spectrum is very diverse. However, statements being made by top US state officials point at ‘close strategic partnership and wish to further strengthen relations in many directions, including for business and investments.’
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze have congratulated the United States President-elect Joe Biden on his election victory. Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said that Georgia looks forward to continue ‘further strengthening the US-Georgia Strategic partnership’ under his presidency.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Georgia on November 17-18, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated earlier today. The ministry says that the visit ‘once again points to the firmness of the US-Georgia strategic partnership and reaffirms the commitment of the two countries to further strengthen ties.’ The ministry stated that meetings with top Georgian officials will focus on the priorities under the United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili welcomes the upcoming visit of the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo next week. Zurabishvili wrote on Twitter that the support from the US as ‘a strategic partner’ is important for the ‘democratic development and for peace and stability in the region’.
Forty-five representatives of the Georgian security and foreign policy community have requested a permanent presence of American armed forces in Georgia in an open letter to the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, who will visit Georgia later today. The letter says that such a policy may include allied (US/European) forces on a rotational basis, as well as logistical and air patrol elements that would provide a wide range of options for American and allied forces ‘to operate uninterrupted’ in the South Caucasus and Black Sea regions.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry says that the visit of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo to Georgia later today ‘once again points to the firmness of the US-Georgia strategic partnership and reaffirms the commitment of the two countries to strengthen their cooperation.’ The ministry stated earlier today that the visit is yet more evidence that the United States ‘remains strongly committed to supporting Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity’, as well as the country’s ‘continuous democratic development and European and Euro-Atlantic integration’.