Deputy FM visits US to discuss strategic partnership goals
During his visit to the US Georgian Deputy FM also met with the representatives of the Defence Department, Congress and White House. Photo: Getty Images
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Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Lasha Darsalia is visiting the US on January 8-10 to discuss bilateral cooperation prospects with the representatives of the US government and think tanks.
At the meetings held in Washington DC the two parties have discussed further steps in the bilateral strategic partnership process.
“The US is our major ally which supports Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the meetings we have discussed different topics including Russia-Georgia conflict and difficult situation in Georgia’s occupied territories. We have also set certain goals for the current year in our bilateral relations,” Lasha Darsalia said.
During his visit to the US Darsalia also met with the representatives of the Defense Department, Congress and White House. Another meeting was also held with the US Helsinki Commission representatives while a round table gather the representatives of the US research centers at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where the Deputy Foreign Minister provided information about the progress of the Geneva international talks as well as Russia’s illegal actions in the occupied territories of Georgia.
Interesting discussion by Deputy Minister of @MFAgovge Mr Lasha Darsalia at @HelsinkiComm on humanitarian situation in the occupied territories of Georgia ???????? and US-Georgia cooperation. Thanked the commission for holding hearing on Russia’s occupation of Georgia last year pic.twitter.com/4pPtRk0Fvz
— David Bakradze (@BakradzeDavid) January 9, 2019
From Washington D.C. Deputy Foreign Minister heads to New York where he will meet the Deputy Secretary General of the UN as well as other representatives of the organisation.
Troops and military hardware from NATO member states and Georgia’s allies have arrived in the country’s Black Sea port of Poti, a week before the multinational defence exercise Noble Partner kicks off outside the capital of Tbilisi.
The US government has given Georgia two Island-class patrol boats on the 20th anniversary of the Georgian Coast Guard.Georgia named the boats Ochamchire and Dioskuria. Ochamchire is a town in Georgia’s currently occupied Abkhazia region, while Diosluria is the ancient name of Sokhumi in the same region.
US President Donald Trump’s Security Advisor John Bolton stated in Tbilisi today that Georgia is of the highest strategic importance for the US.He said that is why the US quickly responded to Russian aggression in Georgia shortly after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill which not only condemns the occupation of Georgian lands but also provides sanctions against those who violate human rights in the two Russian-occupied regions of Georgia – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has met with US legislators in Washington and Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Aaron Wess Mitchell.