US congressman urges US trade representative to consider Georgia-US free trade deal

United States Congressman Ted Poe has sent a letter to the United States Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer urging him to consider a free trade agreement between the US and Georgia.

In the letter Poe says that Georgia is “a critical, strategic partner” of the US which has made “remarkable progress” over the past two decades in enacting political and economic reforms.

In close cooperation with the United States, Georgia plays a key role in ensuring stability in the Caucasus region and supporting American security interests around the world. Lowering trade barriers between our two nations would go a long way towards further strengthening our partnership,” Poe says.   

He stated that the  United States and Georgia have already established the foundation of a growing relationship between American and Georgian companies, workers, and consumers to meet their  full trade-economic potential.

Poe touched on the importance of Georgia’s strategic location, granting access to landlocked Central Asian countries, with a combined market size of 120 million people and a combined economy of $300 billion.