Georgian PM to meet US Defence Secretary Esper in Munich
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia left for Munich yesterday. Photo: Prime Minister’s press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia will meet with the US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper later today on the sidelines of the 56th Munich Security Conference.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that the meeting is of high importance.
The meeting carries high importance as the relationship with our strategic partner is a top priority for the Georgian government. The US-Georgia exemplary cooperation in the defence field should strengthen further,” Zalkaliani said.
He stated that Georgia’s contribution to international peace and security is significant and the country will continue to do so ‘with our strategic partner - the US.’
The Munich Security Conference starts with an exciting program today! #MSC2020 officially kicks off at 2:00 p.m. ECT. Watch LIVE here: https://t.co/qqFOeqr95k pic.twitter.com/AoxIXG8MNE
— Munich Security Conference (@MunSecConf) February 14, 2020
Zalkaliani said that the Munich Conference is a “very important platform” which Georgia uses to inform the international community on the situation in the country and to raise its territorial issues.
Of course, we will speak about economic reforms and the benefits of Georgia’s geopolitical locations for making investments. There will be both bilateral meetings and panel discussions during the conference,” Zalkaliani said.
He stated that he will have about 20 bilateral meetings and participate in panel discussions.
Zalkaliani stated that one of the panel discussions will be about Black Sea security and ‘I will speak about Georgia’s role in this regard.’
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said in response to the recent letter from the four United States Congressmen that Georgian officials are “always ready” to talk to “strategic partners” of the country. Gakharia, who is attending the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21-24, responded to the question from a Georgian journalist.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that making deeper strategic ties with the US and the EU “is the only way” for Georgia to “survive in a region full of challenges.”Speaking at the New Ambitions for Europe Panel in Davos during the World Economic Forum earlier today, Gakharia said that the region Georgia belongs to is “extremely challenging,” and Georgia has to cope with “daily challenges” caused by the occupation of 20 per cent of its territories by Russia.
Congressmen Adam Kinzinger, Gerald Connoly, Eliot Engel and Michael McCaul wrote on January 21 that they are “concerned over the decision to forego promised democratic reforms and the associated violence against peaceful protesters” in Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has responded to the concerns of two US congressmen regarding ongoing protests in Tbilisi, stating that the US-Georgia relations are at an all time high and the more goals Georgia achieves, the more demands are raised on further progress and the expectations are high.
US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper has praised Georgia’s contribution to international peace and security and expressed his support for Georgia’s territorial integrity while meeting with Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia during the 56th Munich Security Conference earlier today. “Successful bilateral cooperation was underlined at the meeting, along with a significant support of the US in the implementation of reforms in the defense and security fields,” the government of Georgia press office reports.