The Hill: “A clear signal on Georgia’s future”

Last week was remarkable for my country Georgia - in one week the United States, NATO, and the European Union all acted in different ways to show their unbreakable support for Georgia’s continued Western integration and development.”

This statement belongs to State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration David Bakradze, who had an article published in American political newspaper The Hill.

• On September 8 that the House of Representatives passed a resolution conveying America’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity;
• On September 7-8 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the entire North Atlantic Council visited Georgia to discuss further deepening Georgia’s cooperation and interoperability with NATO and strengthening the country’s resilience capabilities;
• Also last week European Parliament’s Justice and Home Affairs Committee acted in favour of visa liberalisation for Georgian citizens, setting up the last step for Georgia’s citizens to be granted expanded access to the European Union.

"[These three things] follow Georgia entering into an Association Agreement (AA) and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) deal with the EU, all of which cement Georgia’s position as a true and integrated member of the European family,” said Bakradze.

The Georgian high official is currently in Washington "to thank our friends for their support during this critical time for Georgia” where the country continues to live with the tragic consequences of Russia’s large-scale military aggression in the August 2008 War.

"Twenty percent of our territory remains occupied, and hundreds of thousands of people have been forcefully driven from their homes,” he says.

In this environment, American and European support remains instrumental to ensuring Georgia’s secure and peaceful development. These recent acts of support and friendship are a clarion reminder of the unbreakable bond between Georgia and the United States and European Union.”

"In close cooperation with the United States, Georgia is working to forge a more secure, democratic, and prosperous future.”

Read the full article here: www.thehill.com