Parliament Vice Speaker: UK Ambassador’s comments confirm there is no evidence of Georgia being used to bypass sanctions against Russia
The Vice Speaker thanked Clayton for making a “comprehensive comment” on the matter, and stressed Georgia would not be used for avoiding the sanctions. Photo: 1tv.ge
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Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker, on Tuesday said comments by the United Kingdom Ambassador Mark Clayton confirmed there was no evidence for claims by some Ukrainian authorities about Georgia being used to bypass sanctions placed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Talakvadze was commenting on the statement of the Ambassador, who on Monday said Georgia was “playing its part” in the package of international sanctions imposed on Russia, adding the British intelligence had no information that corroborated the claim by its Ukrainian counterparts.
The Vice Speaker thanked Clayton for making a “comprehensive comment” on the matter, and stressed Georgia would not be used for avoiding the sanctions.
“No evasions or any illegal or unauthorised shipments are carried out on the territory of Georgia. This is not a statement by any politician or party representative, but a statement by the British Ambassador, who represents his country, and all speculations have been answered with his statement,” the Parliament official said.
Talakvadze stressed that “Georgia will not become a place to bypass the sanctions, but it is important that the British Ambassador made the same statement and confirmed that such evidence does not really exist.”
Ukrainian media reported claims on Georgian territory being used to bypass the sanctions on the Kremlin on May 2, citing Ukrainian intelligence services for the information.
British Ambassador to Georgia Mark Clayton said Georgia was “playing its part” in the package of international sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, in an interview released by Interpressnews agency on Monday.
The head of the ruling Georgian Dream Party Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said the Georgian Government maintained trade relations with Russia “just like Ukraine does” amid the latter’s ongoing invasion of Ukrainian territory.
Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian Economy Minister, on Wednesday said the country was part of “all international decisions on the sanctions” imposed by the international community against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, and adhered to the agreements with Georgia’s international partners.
Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Archil Talakvadze on Monday said reports in Ukrainian media on talks between Russia and Georgia over re-export of Russian goods to third countries were “unfounded and incorrect”.
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said there were no grounds for claims Georgia was used by Russia to bypass international sanctions imposed on the country for its invasion of Ukraine.
The Georgian Embassy in Washington on Wednesday said the allegation by Ukrainian lawmaker David Arakhamia that Russian individuals and companies were using entities in Georgia to bypass Western sanctions were “completely false”, Reuters reported.
The National Bank of Georgia on Thursday said it "categorically rules out" the possibility of individuals sanctioned in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine carrying out “any kind of financial transaction” using the Georgian banking sector.