Obama’s letter to PM Garibashvili: Looking forward to reuniting

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has received a letter from the President of the United States, Barak Obama, who says he is "looking forward” to seeing Gariabshvili at the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague later this month.

"I look forward to attending this Summit and to the interactive program our host has designed. I hope to see you there,” President Obama wrote in an official letter from the White House.

In his writing, President Obama highlighted America’s actions to improve the security of nuclear materials around the world and attempts to prevent nuclear smuggling. He said the world was reminded, almost on a daily basis, of the ongoing threat of terrorism and the necessity to do "all we can” to avoid the global catastrophe of a terrorist nuclear attack.

After this phrase, President Obama praised Georgia’s successful role in helping to strengthen the "global nuclear security architecture”.

"I am working hard on the tasks we established at the Seoul Summit, and I urge you to do the same. As we prepare for The Hague Summit, I would like to encourage your continued support to make the global nuclear security architecture as strong as possible,” read the letter.

Obama believed Georgia’s ratification of two important legal instruments – the Amended Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear materials and the Facilities and the International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism – had been a significant step towards avoiding a terrorist nuclear attack.

The US President also expressed hope to work with Georgia’s Prime Minister to ensure other international actors, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, were strengthened to carry forward the nuclear security mission as it grows.

"I was pleased to hear that you have established a national registry for sources in cooperation with our Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” Obama said.

The President also appreciated Georgia’s efforts to thwart nuclear smuggling in the region.

"I believe we should use The Hague Summit to identify new steps we can take together to strengthen nuclear security globally,” Obama said.

The US President said: "Through our cooperation, we can make the 2014 Summit a success and better protect our citizens and people around the world from nuclear terrorism”.

See the copy of the letter below: