FM hails “strategic partnership” with US as House approves bill containing provisions in support of Georgia
Darchiashvili stressed the significance of the United States considering Georgia a part of the “common European and Euro-Atlantic security”, its continued “specific steps” to strengthen the country’s security, and strengthening of the bilateral “strategic partnership”. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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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.
Darchiashvili stressed the significance of the United States considering Georgia a part of the “common European and Euro-Atlantic security”, its continued “specific steps” to strengthen the country’s security, and strengthening of the bilateral “strategic partnership”.
The National Defence Authorization Act bill, which outlines a number of specific directions where [US] lawmakers support the strengthening and expansion of the cooperation with Georgia, once again confirms the active assistance that the United States applies to strengthening Georgia's security and defence capabilities”, the top Georgian diplomat said.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the National Defence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.
The bill contains provisions in support of Georgia which “significantly” contribute to the further deepening of the partnership between the countries in order to strengthen Georgia's security and support for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, the Georgian foreign office said on Thursday.
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.
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.
Kelly Degnan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, on Thursday said Georgia had made “great progress” building its democracy over the past 30 years and pointed out that there was “no limit” to what the country could achieve with unity over its Euro-Atlantic future.
Political leaders in the United States, including President Biden, have made it clear that Georgia is an important partner for the country, US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan told Georgian press on Thursday.
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”.
The approval of the United States National Defence Authorisation Act, which includes provisions in support of Georgia, by the House of Representatives “clearly reflects” the “most important role” of the country in the foreign and security political agenda of the US and is adapted to “challenges that we are facing today", Nikoloz Khatiashvili, a foreign policy researcher of the Geocase analytical centre, said on Friday.