The News in Brief
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Kelly Degnan on her meeting with Ivanishvili: We didn't talk about his personal financial deals
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan, in an interview with Formula, talked about the meeting with Bidzina Ivanishvili and noted that during the communication they discussed the US-Georgia partnership and Washington's support for the country.
"Obviously, I don't want to make assumptions about Mr. Ivanishvili's motives. From my side, I can say that as a rule, we do not publicize private meetings. Whether it is with Mr. Ivanishvili or someone else. It is simply not the accepted rule for diplomacy to do so, If the other side prefers, not to make it public, but as soon as it became clear that Bidzina Ivanishvili himself was speaking about this meeting, I confirmed that we met and talked about the US-Georgia partnership and many other areas where the US is trying to support the development of Georgia.
Obviously, Mr. Ivanishvili is a very influential Georgian, he is a very successful businessman, and therefore, it is normal that we would like to meet with him, as with many other citizens of Georgia. In fact, this is exactly what diplomats do. Our task is to meet as many different representatives in the country as possible."
As the ambassador noted, she did not discuss the issue of his personal finances during the meeting with Ivanishvili.
"We didn't talk about his personal financial deals, sanctions, or anything that could be seen as an attempt to blackmail or drag Georgia into the war. There was no discussion of these topics during the meeting...
As I said, I meet many different people in Georgia - very influential successful Georgians, students, and teachers. I meet so many different people because I want to better understand Georgian culture, Georgian society, and Georgian dreams, and aspirations. I want to understand how the USA can better help Georgia," said the ambassador.
Bidzina Ivanishvili published a letter on July 27, in which she says that after the start of the war, she met US Ambassador Kelly Degnan on March 21.
Elene Khoshtaria accuses Gov't of betraying Georgian heroes
"Droa" party's leader Elene Khoshtaria, made a statement regarding the Russian propaganda media's released video, where it is shown that Russians have somehow acquired a personal file from the Archives of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia of Ukraine's hired Georgian soldier.
According to Khoshtaria, it is a betrayal on the part of the Georgian government that the information about the Georgian soldiers was in the hands of the Russians. "Droa" leader added that the ruling party not only does not respect the soldiers who fight and die against Russia in Ukraine but also endangers them.
"We saw a specific document in the hands of a specific occupier. In the hands of the occupier who tortured Antsukhelidze and whom Georgians are fighting today on the territory of Ukraine. In the hands of the occupier who seized our territories, who kidnaps Georgian citizens, who expelled the IDPs, and tortured women and children.
Today, Ukraine is fighting these occupiers to protect us, the citizens of Georgia are fighting, whom we should respect, and here, the "Georgian Dream" is putting these soldiers in concrete danger. This is betrayal. Our state is giving information about our heroes to our enemies.
I have no demand for the Defense because I have no illusions that the agency that shares information will make any conscientious explanation. I have no illusions about the investigation because this investigation is hijacked, but I also have no illusions that we, the Georgian society, will forgive the fact of betrayal to the "Georgian Dream" said Elene Khoshtaria.
Kelly Degnan on her meeting with Ivanishvili: We didn't talk about his personal financial deals
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan, in an interview with Formula, talked about the meeting with Bidzina Ivanishvili and noted that during the communication they discussed the US-Georgia partnership and Washington's support for the country.
"Obviously, I don't want to make assumptions about Mr. Ivanishvili's motives. From my side, I can say that as a rule, we do not publicize private meetings. Whether it is with Mr. Ivanishvili or someone else. It is simply not the accepted rule for diplomacy to do so, If the other side prefers, not to make it public, but as soon as it became clear that Bidzina Ivanishvili himself was speaking about this meeting, I confirmed that we met and talked about the US-Georgia partnership and many other areas where the US is trying to support the development of Georgia.
Obviously, Mr. Ivanishvili is a very influential Georgian, he is a very successful businessman, and therefore, it is normal that we would like to meet with him, as with many other citizens of Georgia. In fact, this is exactly what diplomats do. Our task is to meet as many different representatives in the country as possible."
As the ambassador noted, she did not discuss the issue of his personal finances during the meeting with Ivanishvili.
"We didn't talk about his personal financial deals, sanctions, or anything that could be seen as an attempt to blackmail or drag Georgia into the war. There was no discussion of these topics during the meeting...
As I said, I meet many different people in Georgia - very influential successful Georgians, students, and teachers. I meet so many different people because I want to better understand Georgian culture, Georgian society, and Georgian dreams, and aspirations. I want to understand how the USA can better help Georgia," said the ambassador.
Bidzina Ivanishvili published a letter on July 27, in which she says that after the start of the war, she met US Ambassador Kelly Degnan on March 21.
Elene Khoshtaria accuses Gov't of betraying Georgian heroes
"Droa" party's leader Elene Khoshtaria, made a statement regarding the Russian propaganda media's released video, where it is shown that Russians have somehow acquired a personal file from the Archives of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia of Ukraine's hired Georgian soldier.
According to Khoshtaria, it is a betrayal on the part of the Georgian government that the information about the Georgian soldiers was in the hands of the Russians. "Droa" leader added that the ruling party not only does not respect the soldiers who fight and die against Russia in Ukraine but also endangers them.
"We saw a specific document in the hands of a specific occupier. In the hands of the occupier who tortured Antsukhelidze and whom Georgians are fighting today on the territory of Ukraine. In the hands of the occupier who seized our territories, who kidnaps Georgian citizens, who expelled the IDPs, and tortured women and children.
Today, Ukraine is fighting these occupiers to protect us, the citizens of Georgia are fighting, whom we should respect, and here, the "Georgian Dream" is putting these soldiers in concrete danger. This is betrayal. Our state is giving information about our heroes to our enemies.
I have no demand for the Defense because I have no illusions that the agency that shares information will make any conscientious explanation. I have no illusions about the investigation because this investigation is hijacked, but I also have no illusions that we, the Georgian society, will forgive the fact of betrayal to the "Georgian Dream" said Elene Khoshtaria.