New Georgian PM holds his first official meeting
By Tea Mariamidze
Wednesday, September 11
Georgia’s new Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, whose cabinet was approved by the parliament on September 8, 2019, with 98 votes in favor to 0 against, held his first official meeting with acting US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker in Tbilisi on September 10.
As he noted, further intensified strategic partnership with the USA, along with the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia is a solid priority of the country’s foreign policy.
Gakharia also focused on intensifying US-Georgia relations in every possible direction, including security and economic cooperation.
He expressed his high appreciation towards the solid support of international partners, including the US Government.
As the PM’s Press Office reports, visit of the US dignitary clearly voiced the need of further extending and deepening the US-Georgia strategic cooperation.
The sides discussed the significance of continued efforts towards further consolidation and capacity building of democratic institutions.
Current developments in the region and worsened situation in the occupied regions of Georgia in terms of security and humanitarian needs were also mentioned during the meeting.
Philip Reeker congratulated Giorgi Gakharia on his appointment to the position of the Prime Minister of Georgia and wished success in his future activities.
Acting US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs expressed concerns about the recent development of events along the occupation line and so-called borderisation process, underlying that the USA continues calls on Russia to fulfill its undertaken commitments.
Reeker arrived in Georgia to attend the Tbilisi International Conference on September 9-10. He also visited the occupation line near the village of Odzisi.
“Russian tactics are well-known now to all of us – this effort by Russia to influence through a variety of means including, this military presence and the recent buildup, which is a great concern to us. There is a Russian flag right here. You do not have to look far to see this Russian effort,” he said.
According to him, Russia made commitments in 2008 to withdraw its troops to the lines before the conflict.
“They have not lived up to those commitments and they are continuing to occupy one-fifth of Georgia. We see this pattern in other places of course - in Ukraine - and it has been a great concern to us. Now, for a decade we have seen this sort of Russian behavior, malign efforts, illegal, against the interests we would all like to promote, for a more stable and peaceful Europe,” US Embassy in Georgia quoted Reeker.
New PM Gakharia occupied multiple posts in the Georgian government during the last years. He was nominated on the PM’s post after the ex-Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze announced his resignation on September 2. During Bakhtadze’s time in office, Gakharia was the Deputy PM and an Interior Minister, also the Secretary of the National Security Council.
From November 2016 to November 2017, he served as the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.
