Georgia-U.S. discuss security issues in Washington

Georgian and U.S. officials held a bilateral meeting on defense and security issues in Washington on December 11, to review cooperation in frames of the Charter on Strategic Partnership signed between the two countries in January, 2009.

The Georgian delegation delivered information to the representatives of U.S. State and Defense Departments on the security environment in Georgia and in the region, including the current conditions in the two Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The U.S. side once more emphasized support for Georgias territorial integrity and sovereignty, the press release of Georgian Ministry of Defense reads.

The meeting participants also discussed the ongoing steps concerning the non-recognition policy in Georgias breakaway regions.

Georgias First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Davit Zalkaniani and Deputy Defense Minister Mikheil Darchiashvili co-chaired the working group meeting.

The American Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Greg Kausner and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Evelyn Farkas also participated in the working group meeting.

Deepened cooperation directions, fulfilled reforms in defense sphere, and future cooperation plans were the topics of the discussion at the working group meeting.

The U.S. positively evaluated the progress Georgia achieved in defense reforms. They once more focused on its firm support for Georgia on the way to NATO membership.

Moreover, the U.S. officials expressed its gratitude to Georgia for their contribution in NATO-led ISAF mission and positively evaluated Georgias decision to participate in post-ISAF period and join the NATO Response Force (NRF) from 2015.

The U.S. side also highlighted to assistance for Georgian military servicemen wounded in international operations in their rehabilitation process.

In the framework of the visit, deepening cooperation issues in defense sphere between Georgia and the USA will be discussed at Bilateral Defense Consultations at the Pentagon. Bilateral meetings with the representatives of the Pentagon are also scheduled. Deputy Defence Minister Mikheil Darchiashvili leads Georgian MoD delegations visit to the USA. He also plans to hold meetings with U.S. Congressmen and their advisers.