Foreign Ministry: Unexpected meeting with President Obama is a rare occurrance

An unannounced  meeting between Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and President of the United States Barack Obama has aroused question of how "unexpected” it was for the Georgian delegation.

Agenda.ge asked this question to Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaniani, who also attended the surprising 20-minute meeting, who said during preparations they had received signals from their American colleagues that meeting President Obama might have been possible.

"We followed diplomatic etiquette and rules and did not announce this,” he said.

"It should be noted that the current administration of the USA does not host high-level meetings on a frequent basis,” Zalkaniani exclusively told Agenda.ge from the United States.

"The fact the American President met with the new Prime Minister of Georgia points out that Georgia is very important to the USA, and it is clear evidence that the United States supports Georgian Government’s policy directed towards Euro-Atlantic integration and implementing democratic reforms.”

Zalkaliani said the meeting had been held in a very warm and friendly atmosphere and said it could have been described as a meeting between friends.

Obama and Garibashvili, who was at the White House for a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden, talked about Ukraine and Georgia’s recent transition of power and discussed how the two countries can increase trade ties, a White House senior administration statement said.

 Georgian delegation meeting with the President Barack Obama in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Feb. 24, 2014. Photo by PM’s press office.