Georgia’s development “intertwined, organically connected” with US - ruling party MP

Ruling Georgian Dream party MP Mikheil Sarjveladze on Friday said he believed the “future development of Georgia is intertwined, organically connected with in-depth cooperation with the United States”, in comments to statements by a group of former ruling party MPs who have criticized the US Embassy and Ambassador Kelly Degnan over the recent weeks in allegations of the diplomatic office backing “radical domestic [political] forces”. 

• Georgian PM says his role is to strengthen relations with country’s “main strategic partners” US and EU as much as possible

In his remarks, Sarjveladze noted he had “never downplayed“ the US-Georgia cooperation and the importance of Georgia’s positive relations with its major ally “in any of my statements” around the comments of the former party members.  

The Parliament member suggested it would be “unimaginable for Georgia” to deal with its security risks, and facilitate further economic progress and development, without close cooperation with the US. 

Sharing the position of the country’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Sarjveladze reiterated that “fruitful cooperation with the US is critically important for Georgia”. 

• PM Garibashvili: Georgia-US relations “strong as ever”, our friendship based on “shared values”

Speaking with journalists on Thursday, Garibashvili said that the comments of the former MPs of the ruling party, who left GD in June in a bid “to tell the public the truth”, were “not in the state interests”. 

Expressing respect to the US and its diplomatic representatives, Garibashvili said the United States had implemented a number of important projects in Georgia since the country gained its independence, stressing the cooperation was “critically important” for Georgia.