The U.S. State Department representatives are visiting Tbilisi from May 24 to 29 to meet with representatives of the Georgian Dream government, political parties, the business community, and Georgian faith leaders, the U.S. Embassy told Civil.ge on May 25.
The delegation includes Charles Yockey, Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State, and Peter Andreoli, Director of the Office for Russian and Caucasian Affairs at the U.S. State Department, who previously visited Georgia in March.
“The meetings will focus on what is needed to set our two countries on a path to improved bilateral relations and increased prosperity for the Georgian and American people,” the Embassy said.
Marking the second U.S. visit in May following a trip by a U.S. deputy assistant secretary, the current visit comes amid largely frozen ties but intensifying contacts between Tbilisi and Washington, as Georgian Dream seeks to reset relations “from a clean slate.” While State Department representatives are in Tbilisi, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Armenia on May 26, but has no planned stop in Georgia.
Meeting with Georgian Dream Officials
On May 25, the U.S. officials met with Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The meeting at the Government Administration was also attended by GD Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili and Government Administration Head Levan Zhorzholiani.
“The meeting focused on the importance of resetting USA-Georgia relations and establishing a strategic partnership based on a concrete roadmap,” the Georgian government administration said in a press release, adding that Kobakhidze reaffirmed the GD government’s “readiness to renew bilateral relations from a clean slate, based on mutual respect.”
“Special emphasis was placed on Georgia’s role as a trustworthy and reliable partner in the region,” the press release added, further stating that Kobakhidze said “Georgia remains ready to continue contributing to efforts aimed at ensuring long-term peace and stability in the region.”
On May 27, the delegation met with Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili.
The Foreign Ministry said the sides discussed bilateral relations, as well as “prospects for further cooperation,” adding that the “particular attention was devoted to the Middle Corridor and to Georgia’s role as a regional connector and transportation hub.”
Meeting with Opposition Representatives
On May 25, the U.S. delegation reportedly also met with several opposition politicians, including Grigol Gegelia of Lelo, Levan Tsutskiridze of Freedom Square, which is part of the wider Opposition Alliance, and Ana Dolidze of the For People party. The meeting was held at the Tbilisi Marriott hotel.
A separate meeting on May 25 also took place in parliament with opposition MPs from former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party.
“The sides discussed the activities of the ‘Gakharia – For Georgia’ team, with particular emphasis placed on Georgia’s foreign policy, as well as on the resolution initiated by the party in response to the agreement signed between the Russian Federation and the so-called South Ossetian Autonomous Republic, on which, regrettably, Georgian Dream has remained silent,” For Georgia stated.
On May 28, the delegation met with leaders of the Coalition for Change: Nika Gvaramia of Ahali, Zurab Japaridze of Girchi-More Freedom, and Giga Lemonjava of Droa.
“The main interest for realizing economic interests is stability in the country. Stability in the country is being obstructed by Georgian Dream and the Russia standing behind it,” Nika Gvaramia said after the meeting.
“Bringing this country and America closer is not in their [Georgian Dream] interests. That is a fairy tale…American companies will not be able to enter this country as long as there is no independent judiciary and no rule of law,” Zurab Japaridze said.
“The force that is the main source of instability, violence, and turbulence is Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Russian regime, and everyone understands this very well. If anyone wants stability and peace in this country, American investments in this country, it is the pro-Western political spectrum and the Georgian people and this is being obstructed by Bidzina Ivanishvili’s regime,” Giorgi Lemonjava said.
Meeting with Shio III
On May 27, a U.S. delegation met with the newly enthroned Catholicos-Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Shio III. The meeting at the Patriarchate of Georgia was attended by several high-ranking clerics.
According to a Patriarchate statement, the delegation members congratulated Shio III on his enthronement and “repeatedly emphasized the role of the Orthodox Church in Georgia’s history.” The statement added, “The talks also covered relations between the two countries and their shared Christian values. Both sides once again expressed readiness to deepen cooperation and strengthen these values.”
The Patriarchate also noted that Shio III invited the U.S. State Department delegation to events planned this year to mark the 1700th anniversary of Christianity being declared the “state religion” in Georgia.
More to follow…
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