US Acting Assistant Secretary Reeker: Georgia remains the US’s top strategic partner in S.Caucasus, Black Sea region
United States Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker (L) met with Georgian PM in Tbilisi earlier today. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
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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.
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Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has met with the US Acting Assistant Secretary of State of European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker in Washington to discuss the issues of strategic partnership.“The Georgia-US cooperation has been given high assessments in all fields, as well as the activities of the group created per the Strategic Partnership Charter,” Georgian Foreign Ministry reported earlier today.
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The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday appointed Ambassador Philip Reeker as Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations, and noted the significance of the Geneva International Discussions, a platform created following the 2008 Russia-Georgia war and in the wake of the ongoing occupation of Georgian regions, for the US.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Philip Reeker, the Senior Adviser of the United States Department of State for Caucasus Negotiations and the Geneva International Discussions, met in Tbilisi on Monday to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, regional and global security challenges and the situation in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, the Administration of the Government of Georgia said.
Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday highlighted security risks Georgia faced on the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a country that had a part of its territory occupied.
Philip Reeker, the senior adviser of the United States department of state for Caucasus negotiations, on Thursday said Georgia's role was “critically important” for regional peace, stability and interconnectivity.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday discussed the importance of the United States-Georgia strategic partnership and the “positive dynamic” in existing cooperation with Philip Reeker, the state department senior adviser for Caucasus negotiations and the Geneva International Discussions.