Georgia’s Defence Minister visits US warship docked in Batumi

Defence cooperation between Georgia and the United States (US) was a key topic at a high-profile reception on board a US Navy warship docked in the port of Georgia’s seaside city Batumi today.

The event aboard the USS Porter hosted Georgia’s Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli and US Ambassador to Georgia Ian Kelly. The two distinguished guests spoke about the partnership between the two countries as well as stability in the Black Sea region.

The pair were then offered a tour of the ship, after which Khidasheli stressed the increased importance of the presence of NATO naval forces in the Black Sea.

After the annexation of Crimea, the Black Sea gained a special function. Currently the Black Sea region faces greater security challenges. Therefore any military vessel of NATO member states docking in the Black Sea is a security guarantee for the country that faces any threat or aggression,” Khidasheli said at the occasion.

The Minister spoke highly of the naval exercises that often accompanied visits of NATO forces to Georgian ports, saying the trainings meant Georgia’s Interior and Defence Ministries as well as Border Police benefitted from these occasions by gaining "direct access” to technical means of the Alliance standards.

The USS Porter docked in Batumi Port in Georgia’s Black Sea coast. Photo by Ministry of Defence of Georgia/Facebook.

The reception on board the USS Porter, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, from the US Navy 6th Fleet, was also attended by Georgia’s Minister of Internal Affairs Irakli Mgebrishvili and Border Police head Zurab Gamezardashvili.

The ship docked in Batumi Port on Tuesday as part of its deployment to contribute to regional maritime security, conduct bilateral and multilateral training missions and to support NATO operations and deployments throughout the region.

The US Navy shared a tweet on the warship’s arrival in Batumi on Wednesday:

#USSPorter arrives in Batumi, Georgia - https://t.co/rdg7HBMjQBpic.twitter.com/IAvVY8yunF

— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) October 21, 2015

The ship’s command also spoke about the goal of the naval visit in an interview published on the official US Navy website:

Our port visit to Georgia will enable us to further strengthen our ties with our allies in the Black Sea. We have several events scheduled with the Georgian Navy including medical and law of the sea training, sporting events and at-sea tactical maneuvers. Each event will contribute toward increased integration between our operating forces,” said Commanding Officer Commander Blair Guy.

The ship deployed from Naval Station Rota, Spain on June 29, 2015.