Ambassador Degnan Praises President Zourabichvili’s Efforts in National Reconciliation Process
By Khatia Bzhalava
Friday, December 24
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan announced yesterday that President Salome Zourabichvili’s efforts are extremely important in terms of national reconciliation. On December 10, the president voiced her initiative to start the process of the national agreement with a large-scale involvement of the public. As she told French media outlet France 24, she took responsibility to start “a process of reconciliation, truth, and justice.” To achieve this goal, Zurabishvili is holding meetings with political leaders of both the ruling party and opposition.
Ambassador Degnan stressed the importance of the involvement of all parties in the process, noting that the president has reached out to civil society as well as the Georgia Orthodox Church, which, according to the ambassador, are all important members of Georgia’s society and “they all have a voice in the process of healing these deep divisions”.
“Zourabichvili is certainly to be commended and to be supported in every way possible in her efforts to heal this country, to bring about an agreement about the way forward for Georgia at a time when its stability and security are so important,” Ambassador Degnan remarked. She also noted that national reconciliation is a long-term process and stressed that the President seems to be fully prepared to take it step by step.
According to President Zourabichvili, her recent initiative is complicated to carry out but the process is ‘very transparent.’ She has stated that, at the initial stage, she is ‘listening to every interested party,’ and is holding meetings, noting that the public and NGOs are also involved in the process.
