US Deputy Assistant Secretary Kent: Georgian gov’t risking goodwill of senators

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent has reacted to the failed EU-mediated talks between Georgian political parties and has told the Voice of America Georgian bureau that the Georgian government ‘is risking the goodwill’ of the US Senate ‘which has been too generous to Georgia over years’ in providing the financial aid. 

• EU-mediated talks between Georgian political parties fail again

Kent said that ‘politics is the art of making compromises’ and that the failure in the talks puts Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic goals at risk. 

• MEPs ‘deeply disappointed’ by failure of EU-mediated talks in Georgia, warn of difficulties in EU financial aid

He stated that Georgia needs a comprehensive election and justice reforms to achieve success on its Euro-Atlantic path. 

Kent has stated that since gaining independence from the Soviet Union the US has ensured more than 5.5 billion USD support for Georgia. 

• Georgia has received 4.3 bln in financial aid from US in past 28 years

He said that currently the US annual financial support for Georgia stands at 135 million USD. 

Kent stated that the failure in the talks puts the US senators' goodwill at risk who make decisions on the financial aid. 

He said that the US expects the parties in Georgia will come to an agreement and carry out the reforms the country needs.