US ambassador says report of 13 congressmen calling Ivanishvili ‘Putin’s ally’ not official US position
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said that any statement from the Congress means that the congressmen are observing the situation in Georgia. Photo: US Embassy, Georgia. Photo: bm.ge.
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The US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan says that the recently released report by 13 US Congressmen, which says that the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili ‘is a close ally’ of Russian President Vladimir Putin, does not reflect the official position of the US.
Speaking with Georgian media outlets late yesterday Degnan said that she has not familiarised herself with the document. However, she said that “any statements by the Congress means they are observing the situation in Georgia and care about the country.’
Degnan said that she represents the executive and not the legislative branch of the US and is unable to make any comments on behalf of the Congress.
I can say that Georgia is a very important strategic partner for us,” Degnan said.
The US Security Strategy entitled ‘Strengthening America & Countering Global Threats’, which is signed by 13 Congressmen says that ‘Bidzina Ivanishvili, the richest man in Georgia, is a close ally of Putin and involved in destabilising Georgia on Russia’s behalf.’