US Ambassador Degnan meets parliament speaker, ruling party chair
In remarks following the meeting, the United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said she was “very glad to hear that at the top of the agenda is further judicial reforms [and] harmonising Georgia’s law with the European Union as part of fulfilling the Association Agenda”. Photo: IPN.
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United States Ambassador to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, met Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze earlier on Thursday to discuss new priorities for an upcoming legislative session.
In remarks following the meeting, Degnan said she was “very glad to hear that at the top of the agenda is further judicial reforms [and] harmonising Georgia’s law with the European Union as part of fulfilling the Association Agenda”.
The diplomat added her team and their Georgian counterparts had also discussed the “Summit for Democracy pledges that Georgia made in connection with President Biden’s Summit for Democracies”.
Had a fruitful meeting with US Ambassador #Degnan to discuss the parliamentary agenda, the US-Georgia strategic partnership and the alarming security situation in the wider region. Georgia remains a reliable partner for our international allies. ???????????????? @usingeo pic.twitter.com/NUMpdARkmu
— Shalva Papuashvili (@shpapuashvili) January 20, 2022
The ongoing security tensions between NATO and Russia around Ukraine were also on the agenda for the meeting, with Degnan noting the significance of the events for Georgia and for the region, “and for all of us in upholding the fundamental international principles that have kept Europe peaceful and prosperous for the past 30 years.”
The US ambassador also said the US was still in talks with Russia to “identify what is really driving it – what is really behind Russia’s aggressive actions toward Ukraine”.
We [the US] have included Georgia in all of our consultations, and we will remain in very close communication and coordination with Georgia because this impacts not just Georgia and Ukraine: it impacts the fundamental principles that have kept European security stable and allowed European countries, including Georgia, to experience unprecedented economic growth,” Degnan said.
The parties also discussed the parliamentary agenda, domestic political processes and future development prospects.