U.S. Assistant Secretary of State visits Georgia

The U.S. Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland visits in Tbilisi. Nuland's visit to Georgia started off with meeting President Giorgi Margvelashvili.

Margvelashvili told the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State that Georgia faces "difficult year ahead as it aims to sign the Association Agreement with the EU next autumn.

The parties discussed a wide range of bilateral and multilateral relations between Georgia and the United States, including the issues of Georgia's integration into the European and Euro-Atlantic structures.

President stated that Georgia was facing very serious challenges and the next year would be difficult enough for the government from this point of view. Giorgi Margvelashvili said the support of the US government during a year from initialing the EU Association Agreement until its signing was very important for Georgia.

The President and the US Assistant Secretary have also reviewed the plans for further cooperation within the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership Charter and focused on the prospects of enhancing trade-economic relations.

"I am pleased to be back in Georgia and see the remarkable progress you have made in recent years. This is seen in not only in developing the physical infrastructure, as well as the democratic institutions as well, Nuland said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a USAID-funded accessibility ramp at the State Chancellery building.

In the framework of the visit Nuland visited PM Irakli Garibashvili and handed over a message from President Barack Obama, congratulating him on appointment as PM and wished him success in his future endeavours.

Later US Assistant Secretary met with Georgian Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania. The Minister on Twitter posted that they discussed Georgias aspirations to join NATO. "Ms Nuland once more highlighted U.S. position to support Georgia on this way," Alasania twitted.

Victoria Nuland was also hosted by the Ministry of Justice Tea Tsulukiani. According to the Minister, she introduced the reforms implemented in court and prosecutor's offices.

Touching on the reforms, the Assistant Secretary of State promised to continue the support of democratic reforms in Georgia. We will receive the result of the reforms together which our people wish that is the signing the Association Agreement with EU. That will be achievable if we create the institutional democracy in the country, Tsilukiani said after meeting Victoria Nuland.

After visiting Tbilisi, Nuland will head to Moscow.