US Ambassador: Georgian Gov’t should dispel all suspicions

US Ambassador in Georgia Richard Norland says people should not speculate about the dismissal of the country's Defence Minister and said the country must continue working towards its Euro-Atlantic goals.

He emphasized that all diplomats in Tbilisi and the international community, including officials in Washington, were closely following the developing situation in Georgia after one minister was dismissed and two others resigned.

Norland highlighted that the Government should dispel all suspicions connected to the dismissal of the former Defence Minister Irakli Alasania and the arrests of several officials in the Defence Ministry.

This is obviously an important time in the life of Georgia’s democracy. There are some important meetings still happening today. Obviously the composition of Georgia’s cabinet and the Government is a matter for Georgians to decide, Norland said.

We urge all parties to work towards these goals and focus on the future for this country that is firmly anchored in Euro-Atlantic institutions."

It would not be appropriate for the United States to take a position on specific ongoing investigations, but the number and scope of prosecutions of former and current officials raises legitimate concern that the judicial system is being used in a politicized way, or for political purposes. We urge the Government to take steps to dispel these perceptions’’, he said.

Meanwhile this afternoon Ambassador Norland visited Georgia's Defence Ministry and met with Alasania in what was his last meeting as Defence Minister.