Senator Cardin impressed with state of Georgian Gov’t

A United States Senator leading a delegation of US officials on a visit to Georgia is praising the state of the country’s Government.

Senator Ben Cardin (Maryland – Democratic Party), is the chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He said he was impressed with the "high level” of the Georgian Government.

He voiced his positive assessment after meeting the President and Prime Minister of Georgia and other Government members. The US delegation also met with leading opposition political parties.

He also pointed out Georgia’s signing of the Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU) was an expression of a country’s free will, and he said the US would firmly support Georgia’s territorial integrity.

In this light, Senator Cardin said the US delegation would support a Resolution regarding violation of the obligations by Russia at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which is being held in Azerbaijan tomorrow.

"We found [it was] important to come to Georgia because of the high importance we are giving the country in the region,” Senator Cardin said, adding the fact US Congressmen had always spoken loudly about the failure of Russia’s aggression.

The US Congress delegation arrived in Tbilisi earlier today. The group includes Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa - Democrat), Congressman Robert Aderholt (Alabama - Republican), Congressman Adam Schiff (California - Democrat), Congressman Phil Gingrey (Georgia - Republican), and Congressman David Schweikert (Arizona - Republican).