Georgia and United States explore free trade possibilities

The United States (US) supports the economic reforms Georgia is currently undertaking, says Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani.

Georgian and US officials met yesterday in Washington for a working meeting on Economic, Trade and Energy Cooperation within the US-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership. This was the first meeting of its kind since the new administration took office.

"The American side praised the four-point reform agenda presented by the Georgian Prime Minister,” Deputy Foreign Minister Zalkaliani said following the meeting.

He said that the parties discussed a range of topics including:
• Bilateral trade relations
• Investment opportunities
• High-level trade dialogue
• Negotiations of Free-Trade Agreement

Zalkaliani added that this year a US-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership plenary session will take place, and the event will be attended by the Georgian Prime Minister and the US Secretary of State.

Before this, three more meetings of the working group on Economic, Trade and Energy Cooperation will take place to enhance bilateral investment possibilities, expand Georgian access to benefits offered by the US and explore the possibility of a Free-Trade Agreement. (agenda.ge)