Georgian experts, ex-top officials request permanent presence of US army in Georgia
The letter says that the presence of the US army in Georgia would deter imminent threats and help Georgia move closer to NATO membership.Photo: Rustavi 2.
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Forty-five representatives of the Georgian security and foreign policy community have requested a permanent presence of American armed forces in Georgia in an open letter to the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, who will visit Georgia later today.
The letter says that such a policy may include allied (US/European) forces on a rotational basis, as well as logistical and air patrolling elements that would provide a wide range of options for American and allied forces ‘to operate uninterrupted’ in the South Caucasus and Black Sea regions.
At the same time, the US military presence in Georgia would enjoy overwhelming popular support, deter imminent threats and help Georgia move closer to NATO membership,” said the letter.
The letter says: 'We fully support the process of strengthening the US-Georgia alliance, inclusive of the presence of the US military on the ground, to the benefit of shared Euro-Atlantic security." Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The letter reads that in recent years, the South Caucasus and the Black Sea regions ‘have become areas of geopolitical instability’.
Most of these security risks stem from Russia’s ambitions to reconstitute a Soviet-era ‘sphere of influence,’ in what Moscow perceives as its ‘Near Abroad.’ Emboldened by its freedom of action, Russia recently deployed troops to Nagorno-Karabakh to enhance its regional military posture,” said the letter.
The letter says that for Georgia, the United States ‘is a vital ally and likewise, we believe in Georgia’s share in bolstering Western interests in Europe and globally.’
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who will be travelling to Georgia on November 17-18, will hold meetings with representatives of Georgia’s ‘vibrant civil society’ along with senior government officials.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili welcomes the upcoming visit of the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo next week. Zurabishvili wrote on Twitter that the support from the US as ‘a strategic partner’ is important for the ‘democratic development and for peace and stability in the region’.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Georgia on November 17-18, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated earlier today. The ministry says that the visit ‘once again points to the firmness of the US-Georgia strategic partnership and reaffirms the commitment of the two countries to further strengthen ties.’ The ministry stated that meetings with top Georgian officials will focus on the priorities under the United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership.
US State Secretary Mike Pompeo and Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia have spoken on the phone and discussed a range of issues, including the October parliamentary elections, Georgia’s ‘effective response’ to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s redoubled occupation efforts during the pandemic.The phone conversation yesterday was held due to the postponement of the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership charter session due to the pandemic, with the officials expressing hope the session will take place by the end of the year.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry says that the visit of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo to Georgia later today ‘once again points to the firmness of the US-Georgia strategic partnership and reaffirms the commitment of the two countries to strengthen their cooperation.’ The ministry stated earlier today that the visit is yet more evidence that the United States ‘remains strongly committed to supporting Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity’, as well as the country’s ‘continuous democratic development and European and Euro-Atlantic integration’.
The International Republican Institute (IRI) said in its interim report that the ‘significant constitutional and election reforms’ adopted by the Georgian government earlier this year aimed at encouraging multiparty democracy and coalition rule, ‘were affected by credible reports of irregularities in the campaign period and on Election Day’.
US State Secretary Mike Pompeo has met with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in Tbilisi earlier today, where he reaffirmed US commitment to Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and commended the country for its ‘significant contributions’ to the fight against global terrorism, the US Embassy to Georgia has reported. The meeting took place in the Orbeliani presidential palace in central Tbilisi.