Parliament Committee Chair: Georgian authorities have no intention of “any kind of attack” on US Ambassador

Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chairman of the Rules and Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, on Monday said Georgian authorities had “no intention” to issue “any kind of organised attack” on the United States or its Ambassador in the country, ruling out the possibility of such a scenario.

Kadagishvili noted that the questions posed to the United States Ambassador in the country should not be “perceived” as an attack, pointing out that “this is not an attack, but an attempt to ensure that there are no outstanding issues”.

Several important issues have arisen in recent months, and these questions have been posed to the [US] Ambassador [Kelly Degnan]. Clarifying some issues should not be perceived as an attack. On the contrary, it is an attempt to ensure that there are no outstanding issues and that all issues are open and clear”, the Parliament official said.

The US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price on July 20 said that “disinformation and personal attacks on Ambassador Degnan or her team are not consistent with how partners communicate with one another”.

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The comments by Price followed a recent statement by Tbilisi City Court Judge Lasha Chkhikvadze, who 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.

• Tbilisi City Court Judge calls on political parties,  diplomatic corps, organisations to refrain from “putting pressure” on  Georgian court

Degnan on Friday said any suggestion of the US interfering in the judicial process in Georgia was “simply not true”.