Parliament Committee Chair, US Ambassador discuss strategic partnership

Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday met Robin Dunnigan, the United States Ambassador to the country, to discuss strategic cooperation between the two countries and possibilities of developing parliamentary cooperation.

The meeting highlighted Georgia’s progress in European Union integration and the importance of the EU's decision to grant the country its membership candidate status last year, the country’s Parliament said.

Botchorishvili informed Dunnigan about the Government's plan for fulfilling the nine priorities set out by the European Commission in November for opening accession talks with it.

It is important that the relations between us are developed in all directions and taken to a higher level. We especially appreciate the contribution made by the United States of America in the process of our country's move toward the European Union”, Botchorishvili said.

The legislative body also said the meeting also covered Georgia’s integration into NATO and the US’s support for the process.

The officials also discussed security of the wider region, reviewed the situation in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and threats coming from Russia.

The discussions also touched on the agenda of the Parliament, the domestic political situation, “current events” and this year’s parliamentary elections.

Dunnigan said her Government wanted to “see Georgia as a member of the European Union” and to “do everything to support Georgia in this process”. She added the role of the Parliament’s European Integration Committee and its Chair was “very important” for the objective.