US State Department spox says Tbilisi Embassy “committed” to support of Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, vows support to Ambassador
In a press briefing, Price noted Georgian citizens’ “overwhelming” support for joining the European Union, adding the US supported the aspiration. Photo: Reuters
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Ambassador Degnan and her team at the United States Embassy in Tbilisi are committed to working with the people of Georgia in support of their Euro-Atlantic aspirations, while Degnan has the “full support” of the US Department of State, the Department’s Spokesperson Ned Price said on Wednesday.
In a press briefing, Price noted Georgian citizens’ “overwhelming” support for joining the European Union, adding the US supported the aspiration.
The rhetoric from some Georgian officials recently, however, seems intended to distract Georgia’s citizens from that goal. Ambassador Degnan and her team at our embassy in Tbilisi are committed to working with the people of Georgia in support of their Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Ambassador Degnan has our full support”, Price said.
“Disinformation and personal attacks on Ambassador Degnan or her team are not consistent with how partners communicate with one another”, he added in his comments.
Price also stressed the United States would continue to focus on supporting “our shared goals” with Georgia.
We have worked shoulder to shoulder for 30 years on democratic reforms, economic development, and security cooperation. This remains unchanged”, he concluded in his comments.
The comments follow a recent statement by Tbilisi City Court Judge Lasha Chkhikvadze, who on Friday alleged interference of an Embassy representative in his sentencing of Nika Gvaramia, the founder of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi channel, to imprisonment in May.
Degnan on Friday said any suggestion of the US interfering in the judicial process in Georgia was “simply not true”.
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.
United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan on Friday called the 12-point conditions of the European Council “the ticket for Georgia getting its candidate status” and said their fulfilment was the “priority” for the Georgian people.
Kelly Degnan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, on Friday said any suggestion of the US interfering in the judicial process in Georgia was “simply not true”.
The United States Government is in close contact with Georgian counterparts and the latter have stood by the international community over Ukraine, Ned Price, the US State Department Spokesperson, said in response to a question over allegations of Russia smuggling sanctioned products using Georgian territory.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said he rejected the idea that "any representative" of the Georgian Government had issued attacks on the United States Ambassador in the country.
The Government of Georgia and the United States “are allies, period”, Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chairman of the Rules and Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, said on Thursday.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday said the approval of the United States National Defence Authorization Act by the House of Representatives, which includes provisions in support of Georgia, was “another clear example” of the strategic partnership between the countries and demonstrated “strong bipartisan support” for Georgia in the US.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, on Thursday rejected the idea of the ruling Georgian Dream party producing “any anti-Western rhetoric”, and noted “we have friendly and partnerly relations with the United States of America”.
The United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan on Thursday said it was “more important than ever” to see Georgia and Ukraine stand together against Russia’s aggression, as both countries “know what it feels like to be occupied by Russia”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday rejected the idea that “any attack” has been issued by “any Georgian official” against the United States Ambassador in the country.
Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said he expected the United States Embassy in Tbilisi to be "as transparent as possible" over allegations of its interference by Tbilisi City Court Judge Lasha Chkhikvadze, and make clarifications over the matter "if necessary".