Philip Reeker, the Senior Advisor of the U.S. State Department for Caucasus Negotiations and the Geneva International Discussions (GID) is visiting Tbilisi, where he has already met with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
According to the Georgian government’s press release, during their meeting, Prime Minister Garibashvili and Ambassador Reeker discussed the “importance” of Georgia’s strategic partnership with the United States.
Great meeting with @StateDept Assistant Secretary Reeker. This visit is a clear demonstration of the US increasing interest & engagement in the South Caucasus region. We focused on key areas of 🇬🇪-🇺🇸 strategic partnership, as well as regional security & cooperation. pic.twitter.com/jWQwAafV8H
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) June 7, 2021
In that context, the “full commitment to further deepening and strengthening the current cooperation was expressed…”
The discussion also drew attention to the security situation in the region and the South Caucasus, as well as Georgia’s mediatory role between Armenia and Azerbaijan. To that end, Prime Minister Garibashvili stated that “negotiations are the only and important way to resolve any conflict and ensure progress.”
The meeting was attended by U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan and the Head of the Government Administration Revaz Javelidze.
Ambassador Reeker’s Statement
Notably, Ambassador Reeker filmed and released a video message in Tbilisi, which underscored that his focus on this trip is on “how to continue efforts for regional peace, stability, and prosperity, including how the United States and Georgia can promote a peaceful resolution to Russia’s occupation of Georgian territory and press Russia to fulfill its obligations under the 2008 Ceasefire Agreement.”
He emphasized that Georgia is a “country that is critically important for regional peace, stability, and interconnectivity.”
In that context, he drew attention to his work with Georgian leaders in 2021 on mediating between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Prime Minister Garibashvili played an indispensable role in ensuring the release of detainees and the sharing of the location of landmines in combat zones,” he noted.
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