PM Kvirikashvili confirms Georgia’s firm pro-Western aspirations
Tweet 
Share
Georgia has a firm pro-Western course and this direction was chosen by the people of Georgia, says Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
The Georgian high official stressed the ruling Georgian Dream party had a political vector that fully reflected the nations’ pro-Western choice.
Yesterday Kvirikashvili confirmed his Government’s foreign policy had been and would always remain focused on Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
His comments were made in response to earlier remarks by Georgian Dream Member of Parliament (MP) Tamaz Mechiauri, who criticized the Noble Partner joint Georgia-United States (US) military exercises that will launch in Georgia tomorrow. The MP said conducting these types of drills in Georgia could create "a serious threat” to the country.
Kvirikashvili stressed Mechiauri’s statement "completely contradicted” the Georgian Dream’s position.
"I must note with a great regret that Mr. Mechiauri’s statement completely contradicts the course of the Georgian Dream and the Government of Georgia. The latter, on its part, reflects the foreign policy vector of Georgian Dream,” the PM said.
"It is with great regret that I have to reassert that Mr. Mechiauri’s statements do not reflect the views of the Government and the foreign policy priorities of Georgian Dream,” he added.
Two days earlier Moscow criticised the "large-scale preparations” for the Noble Partner drills and said this was "a provocative step”.
Responding to this, Kvirikashvili said there was "nothing provocative about them” and these exercises were not directed against anyone.
"These [drills] demonstrate a very clear example of our partnership with the West,” the PM said.
Joint military exercises w/ #NATO example of strong partnership w/ west & #Georgia's foreign vector https://t.co/cPqVjPc2d7
— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) May 10, 2016
He added growth of the defence capacities of Georgia was "crucial”.
"We have gone through a significant phase of military reform; currently the Georgian military units are maximally compatible with NATO standards,” Kvirikashvili said.
"Today we have to launch a new phase aimed at strengthening the defence capacities of Georgian troops. The military exercises initiated today in Georgia serve this particular purpose and we consider that this is a reflection of Georgia’s firm will and the sovereign decision of the nation concerning the vector of our foreign policy.”
"Any questions regarding this policy, in my opinion, will be unfair and inappropriate.”
The PM welcomed the start of the joint US-Georgia military exercises and added: "There is nothing provocative about them. These exercises are not directed against anyone”.
"I would like to reassert that this is a clear indication of the solid partnership between Georgia and our Western partners. I think that there is no trace of a provocation in the given activities. Agreements concluded by the Russian Federation with Abkhazia and South Ossetia contain much more provocative elements. There is no provocation on our part.”
The tanks are here!! #NoblePartner starts 11 May! Be sure to check out all the action: https://t.co/98jXSBEAcGpic.twitter.com/QCTINPpZwa
— U.S. Army Europe (@USArmyEurope) May 4, 2016
Over 1,000 American, British, and Georgian soldiers will participate in Noble Partner exercises, starting tomorrow and ending on May 24 at the Vaziani Military Base just outside capital Tbilisi.
The Noble Partner drills are a bilateral effort that aimed to enhance US and Georgian NATO Response Force interoperability in the context of military-to-military relationships. The exercise will focus on Unified Land Operations and will be based on NATO standard operating procedures.
"Georgia is an independent and sovereign state, which has the right to hold any kind of training on its territory,” Georgia’s Foreign Ministry says.
Russia is dissatisfied that Georgia and the United States (US) are getting ready to conduct joint military exercises in Georgia.
Heavy military equipment from the United States (US) Army has arrived in Georgia and is ready to be used in a two-week joint US-Georgia military exercise.
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili will focus on the importance of tackling corruption and providing an investment-friendly environment during his first official visit to the United Kingdom (UK).
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili says steps undertaken by Georgia to eliminate corruption may be considered less than revolutionary but the outcomes are "truly groundbreaking”.
“Georgia always awaits you”
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili met Georgia’s diaspora living in London, capital of the United Kingdom (UK) yesterday, where he said Georgia always eagerly waited for its citizens to return.
Georgia’s vibrant history and bright future were the focus of a speech by Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to guests at Chatham House in Britain’s capital London today.
An American news magazine has published a piece by Georgia’s Prime Minister about Georgia’s 25th anniversary of independence. The opinion column, published today by Newsweek, highlighted Georgia’s past hardships, the country’s European intentions and its close ties with the United States (US).