State Department Spokesperson: US supports “further integration” of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia with European neighbours
Price highlighted the US Government maintained its “longstanding commitment” to a Europe that “is whole, free, and at peace”. Photo:Reuters
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The United States supports the further integration of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia with their European neighbours, Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said in a briefing on Tuesday.
Price highlighted the US Government maintained its “longstanding commitment” to a Europe that “is whole, free, and at peace”.
[T]hese [Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia] are countries that over the course of decades have expressed a desire for a closer relationship, closer proximity with the West”, the Department of State official said.
He also highlighted that the United States had worked with the three states to help to develop democratic institutions, systems of checks and balances, and economies.
We will continue to stand by them going forward”, Price concluded in his comments.
There are many Georgians in the Government and private citizens who are standing in solidarity with their counterparts in Ukraine, Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said during a briefing on Thursday.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday said the European Commission’s recommendation to grant the country “European prospective” was “undoubtedly” an “important step forward” on the country’s path to EU integration.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said if the European Commission had adopted a “merit-based approach” in its decision on Georgia’s membership bid, the country would have been “the first” to receive the candidate status for European Union membership.
Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Friday said Georgia was “firmly anchored” on its EU membership path following the recommendation of the European Commission on the country’s bid.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said he was “convinced” the country would receive the European Union membership candidate status “in the near future”.
The Helsinki Commission, a United States Government agency monitoring security in Europe, on Wednesday urged the European Council to grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status.
Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, said the body would recognise the “European perspective” of the Associated Trio countries of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on Thursday.
Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Thursday said Georgia would be “automatically” granted the EU membership candidate status once the reform agenda criteria outlined by the European Commission are addressed.
Vakhtang Makharoblishvili, the head of the Georgian mission to the European Union, on Wednesday said the European Commission’s granting of “European perspective” to Georgia was “one of the most significant” achievements of the country’s foreign policy.
Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Monday welcomed her country’s “close partnership” during her first working visit to Moldova, the presidential administration said.