United States Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker has stated in Tbilisi that Georgia remains the US’s top strategic partnership in the South Caucasus and a crucial partner in the Black Sea region.
He said that his recent visit to Georgia aimed to ensure the further development of Georgia as a safe and a democratic country ‘for which the implementation of the April 19 EU-mediated agreement is important.’
Reeker said that his visit was scheduled in March but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He stated that he will leave for Baku and Yerevan and will return to Georgia again for meetings.
Reeker met with Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili earlier today where he praised Georgia’s progress towards NATO integration, the government of Georgia press office has reported.
The meeting underlined the importance of presence of Georgian issues on the US agenda and that the US president to once again express support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity during his upcoming meeting with the Russian president, the government of Georgia press office said.
Great meeting with @StateDept Assistant Secretary Reeker. This visit is a clear demonstration of the US increasing interest & engagement in the South Caucasus region. We focused on key areas of ????????-???????? strategic partnership, as well as regional security & cooperation. pic.twitter.com/jWQwAafV8H
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) June 7, 2021
Cooperation in the defence, security and economic fields have been discussed at the meeting, as well as infrastructural and coronavirus issues.
Reeker said that giving priority to Georgia in the US’s vaccine sharing plan also indicates the countries’ close strategic partnership.
Georgia, Ukraine, and Kosovo are the first three European countries to receive vaccines from the United States, based on regional priorities and partnerships. https://t.co/vDdPxc8Liq
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) June 7, 2021
The significance of April 19 EU-mediated agreement and the implementation of the agreement has also been discussed,” said the government of Georgia press office.
Earlier today Reeker held a meeting with Georgian NGOs.
Head of Georgia’s Young Lawyers’ Association Nika Simonishvili stated that the issues related to the EU-mediated agreement have been discussed at the meeting.
Simonishvili also said that Reeker was ‘well-informed’ about the problems in the Georgian court system.