The News in Brief
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Biden Disinvites Georgian Prime Minister from UNGA Reception Over Anti-Democratic Concerns
U.S. President Joe Biden has disinvited Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze from the September 25 reception for world leaders and senior U.N. officials. PM Kobakhidze, along with Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, is attending the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
The cancellation was first reported by Voice of America, citing unnamed White House and congressional sources. The decision was reportedly linked to "recent actions and statements by the Georgian government [which] indicate a shocking disregard for democracy and the will of the Georgian people."
The Biden administration made this move after communications with Georgian officials failed to show any change in direction. Recently, the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia expressed concern that the government's actions were isolating the country from the West. This came after PM Kobakhidze summoned the U.S. Ambassador to criticize new U.S. sanctions on Georgian police officials, calling it a "critical limit."
The U.S. Embassy confirmed that the decision was due to "increasing concerns about the Georgian government's anti-democratic actions, disinformation, and negative rhetoric about the United States and the West."
South Ossetia's De Facto Government Hands Over Georgian Citizen
The de facto government of South Ossetia claims that Georgian citizen, Vasili Salamashvili, who allegedly violated the state "border", has been handed over to Georgia.
According to the occupation authorities, Salamashvili, a 43-year-old resident of Sakorintlo village in Georgia's Kaspi municipality, was arrested on September 24 in the Akhalgori district near a monastery.
The de facto security committee stated "due to Salamashvili's health problems, the South Ossetian KGB's border service decided to transfer him to the Georgian side without imposing any penalties".
The Georgian State Security Service has confirmed the transfer.
Biden Disinvites Georgian Prime Minister from UNGA Reception Over Anti-Democratic Concerns
The cancellation was first reported by Voice of America, citing unnamed White House and congressional sources. The decision was reportedly linked to "recent actions and statements by the Georgian government [which] indicate a shocking disregard for democracy and the will of the Georgian people."
The Biden administration made this move after communications with Georgian officials failed to show any change in direction. Recently, the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia expressed concern that the government's actions were isolating the country from the West. This came after PM Kobakhidze summoned the U.S. Ambassador to criticize new U.S. sanctions on Georgian police officials, calling it a "critical limit."
The U.S. Embassy confirmed that the decision was due to "increasing concerns about the Georgian government's anti-democratic actions, disinformation, and negative rhetoric about the United States and the West."
South Ossetia's De Facto Government Hands Over Georgian Citizen
According to the occupation authorities, Salamashvili, a 43-year-old resident of Sakorintlo village in Georgia's Kaspi municipality, was arrested on September 24 in the Akhalgori district near a monastery.
The de facto security committee stated "due to Salamashvili's health problems, the South Ossetian KGB's border service decided to transfer him to the Georgian side without imposing any penalties".
The Georgian State Security Service has confirmed the transfer.