US Ambassador Degnan praises President Zurabishvili for her national reconciliation initiative
Ambassador Degnan also underscored that Zurabishvili ‘seems to be fully prepared to take this step-by-step and to build a feeling of consensus and ownership by all the people of Georgia.’ Photo: US Embassy to Georgia.
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US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has stated earlier today that efforts made by Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who is holding meetings with political leaders of both the ruling party and opposition in order to achieve national reconciliation, ‘are extremely important.’
President Zurabishvili initiated an ‘inclusive process and a national conversation involving all of society in order to achieve a shared understanding of recent history, to help heal divisions and move forward’ on December 10 at the Summit for Democracy organised by US President Joe Biden; while on December 16, she hosted both ruling party and opposition leaders at a New Year's reception where she called for 'national agreement.’
Ambassador Degnan's Remarks to Media Following her Meeting with Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee https://t.co/4pkcagbV7O
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) December 23, 2021
Ambassador Degnan stressed the importance of the involvement of all parties in the process, underscoring that Zurabishvili ‘reached out to the Georgian Orthodox Church’ as well, stating that ‘these are all important members of Georgian society, and they all have a voice in the process of healing these deep divisions.’
She is certainly to be commended and to be supported in every way possible in her efforts to heal this country, to bring about an agreement on a way forward for Georgia at a time when its stability and security are so important,” Ambassador Degnan stated.
Listening to different views and ideas.
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) December 22, 2021
Today with @Ombudsman_Geo, @Helenkhosh, @T_Chugoshvili, @Zuraja and Tristian Jincharadze of @republicans_ge pic.twitter.com/LRjty36bQ5
She also underscored that Zurabishvili ‘seems to be fully prepared to take this step-by-step and to build a feeling of consensus and ownership by all the people of Georgia.’
Zurabishvili has already held several meetings with opposition leaders from various political parties, Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria and Patriarch Ilia II, in which she discussed ways to end polarisation in the country and reach ‘national agreement.’
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