Georgian PM, acting US ambassador meet to discuss bilateral relations, Middle East tension
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and acting US Ambassador to Georgia Elisabeth Rood met earlier today at the administration building of the government of Georgia. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has met with acting US Ambassador to Georgia Elisabeth Rood earlier today.
Gakharia and Rood discussed achievements in bilateral relations in 2019 and future prospects, the Government of Georgia press office reports.
Gakharia and Rood have also discussed current developments in the Middle East and related security issues,” the government of Georgia said.
Iran carried out a ballistic missile attack on air bases housing US forces in Iraq earlier today, responding to the US killing of General Qasem Soleimani.
The United States has allocated $132 million to Georgia as financial aid, which is the largest amount in the US-Georgia relations, as the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.
The US Senate has approved Kelly Degnan as the new ambassador of the US to Georgia, the diplomat who has 25 years of diplomatic experience and is a recipient of the Secretary of State’s Expeditionary Service Award. The US President Donald Trump presented Californian Degnan for the role in September 2019. Before the nomination to the post Degnan served as the political advisor to the Commander of United States Naval Forces Europe – United States Naval Forces Africa.
The US Congress has approved its defense spending bill for 2020 to the amount of $738 billion, which includes significant cooperation with Georgia.
The US President Donald Trump has presented Californian Kelly C. Degnan for the role of the new US ambassador to Georgia. Degnan has 25 years of diplomatic experience and is a recipient of the Secretary of State’s Expeditionary Service Award.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has responded to the current tension in the Middle East and stated that there is no alternative to peaceful negotiations and active diplomacy. “Any tension may cause huge problems both for security and economy,” Gakharia stated earlier today. He said that since the beginning of the tension between the US and Iran, Georgia has been in “close contact with international partners and we are closely observing the situation together.”
New US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan, who has 25 years of diplomatic experience, has been sworn in, the US Embassy to Georgia has reported earlier today, stating that ‘we are looking forward to [her] arrival in Georgia.” The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the US Under Secretary of State David Hale.