US Defence Secretary meets Georgian Defence Minister
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US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with Georgia’s Defense Minister Irakli Alasania at the Pentagon on May 7.
The United States promised to continue military cooperation with Georgia and both countries viewed the escalating crisis in Ukraine with deep concern, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement after the meeting.
During his discussion with Alasania, Defense Secretary Hagel "reaffirmed the importance of the US partnership with Georgia and pledged to continue our strong defense cooperation," the spokesperson said.
Hagel encouraged the Georgian Government to continue the defence reforms and efforts to enable its forces to operate jointly with NATO.
The two leaders also discussed the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The situation in Ukraine alarmed Georgia, a pro-Western country that fought a brief war with Russia in 2008.
"They reviewed the efforts by allies and partners in the region to reinforce our international commitments and to continue to apply diplomatic and economic pressure on Moscow,” Kirby said.
Meanwhile British Foreign Secretary William Hague arrived in Tbilisi last night. His visit represented a symbolic show of support for Georgia. While here Hague is scheduled to attend high-level meetings with Georgian authorities.
Georgia’s Defence Minister Irakli Alasania is continuing his official visit to the United States.
Georgia’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations is being discussed between Georgia’s Defence Minister and a UN representative at the UN headquarters in New York.
Georgia’s Defence Minister Irakli Alasania met with the Vice President of the United States, Joseph Biden in Washington during Atlantic Council's Meet and Greet, according to the Defence Ministry’s press office.
NATO Deputy Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia region James Appathurai said in Tbilisi today that he believed the Alliance would discuss whether NATO allies should deploy "defensive assets” in Georgia.
Georgia’s Defence Minister Irakli Alasania suggested NATO allies to deploy "defensive assets” in Georgia, while speaking at the panel discussion in Washington at the Atlantic Council’s two-day conference "About Europe Whole and Free”.
Issues facing Georgia and regional security matters were discussed in a phone conversation between Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania and US Congressman Michael Turner.
Georgia's NATO membership prospects will be discussed at high-level US meetings, which Georgia’s Defence Minister Irakli Alasania is scheduled to attend.
United States Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel will visit Georgia after the NATO Summit next week.
If Ash Carter is chosen as the next United States (US) Secretary of Defense, he plans to help Georgia build its security capacity and military interoperability with NATO.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Georgia, Romania, Ukraine and Brussels next week, Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby said at a briefing yesterday. “Austin and his team will be preparing for a trip to Europe next week. They will stay in Georgia, Ukraine and Romania, and he (Austin) will also conclude this important visit with allies and partners in Brussels, where the meeting of NATO defense ministers will take place,” Kirby said.