Usupashvili: US Senators understand our problems well

"I will return to Georgia more hopeful because our problems are understood here well,” are the words spoken by Georgia’s Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili after meeting United States (US) Senators today.

Usupashvili and a Georgian delegation, which includes Georgian Foreign Relations Committee chairman Tedo Japaridze, are on an official US visit to discuss Georgia-US relations.

At today’s meeting with Senators Tom Cotton and Ron Johnson, the sides discussed bilateral relations, the current developments in Georgia and Ukraine, future prospects of economic cooperation and development of Georgia’s democratic institutions.

"We received a very clear message from Senator Johnson that he would personally do everything for the US to be with Georgia whenever we need support from our friends,” Usupashvili said after the meeting.

"In addition, we had a very interesting conversation about what tactics or strategy would be right [to ensure the situation] in Ukraine and Georgia will develop in the right direction. I will return to Georgia more hopeful because our problems are understood here,” he said.

Usupashvili noted the sides also spoke about diversifying assistance in the economic direction.

"In a few months new prospects of foreign investments might appear and the US might also intensify them. We also talked about the necessity to develop democratic institutions, because countries need to be strong to stand against the problems coming from Russia,” Georgia’s Parliament Speaker noted.

The Georgian delegation’s US visit began on March 1 and will continue for a week. Within the official visit Usupashvili will meet with representatives of US legislative and executive bodies, leading research centres, media. He has already delivered a speech at Georgetown University.