“Good relationship” with main strategic partner US “especially important” - parliament vice speaker

Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian parliament’s vice speaker, on Monday said ensuring a “good relationship” between Georgia and its main strategic partner, the United States, was “especially important”.

Talakvadze stressed leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party had “repeatedly stated” the status of the US as Georgia’s principal strategic partner.

The prime minister and political leaders of our team have repeatedly stated directly that the United States is the main strategic partner of Georgia and our relations are very valuable and precious to us”, the GD official said.

The official’s comments follow controversy on the domestic political scene where a part of the opposition has accused the ruling team of damaging relations with the US.

They also come on the backdrop of critical statements by the US embassy in the country about a recent ruling of Georgian domestic courts on keeping a high-profile TV channel head in prison for charges of improper commercial deals, with ruling team responses alleging “direct interference” in the judiciary by the diplomatic office.