Georgian PM Holds High-Rank Meetings in Washington
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, September 20
Within the framework of the official visit to the United States, Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze met US Senators Robert Phillips Corker Jr. and Sen. Robert Menendez during a meeting held at the US Senate on September 19.
Progress achieved by Georgia towards the European and Euro-Atlantic integration, along with the carried out and planned reforms in Georgia were discussed by the sides.
The parties also touched upon the recent developments in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Bakhtadze thanked US Senators for their support to the country and noted his strong belief in further strengthening and extending the bilateral relations as a result of the current visit.
Georgian PM also met Senator Lindsey Graham, Chairman of Foreign Relations Sub-Committee of US Senate, whose initiative resulted in a Bill on Increased Budget for Georgia drafted by the Foreign Relations Sub-Committee.
Graham praised the current democratic reforms implemented in Georgia. He underlined the significant progress made towards democracy and institutional building. He also noted that Georgia leads in the region with these achievements.
Moreover, William Sweeney, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) praised the pre-election environment in Georgia during the meeting with Bakhtadze, hoping the October 28 presidential election candidates will have all the opportunities to run their campaigns in a competitive environment.
Sweeney noted that he takes great pride in working with Georgia and will continue supporting the country.
Prime Minister of Georgia thanked the president and CEO of IFES for his contribution to the development of the culture of democracy in the country and expressed willingness to actively cooperate in future and pledged to ensure a free, democratic and transparent environment for presidential elections.
At the meeting with the US experts of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), foreign policy priorities of Georgia, topics of a strategic partnership with the US and regional role of Georgia were discussed by the parties.
The focus was made on the topics included in the bilateral agenda of the US-Georgia relations, reforms implemented by the Government of Georgia, which are aimed at the economic growth and facilitation of small and medium enterprise (SME) development.
The progress of Georgia towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration, the democratic and economic transformation of the country were underlined at the meeting.
In addition, Bakhtadze also met Ray Washburne, President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), who stated that “economy of Georgia is open for investments."
The sides discussed the pipeline of projects intended by the corporation in logistics, trade, tourism and information technologies of Georgia.
President of OPIC praised the progress achieved by the country towards improving its investment climate and economic development. It was also noted that Georgia plays an important role in the long-term plans of the corporation.
