The US Secretary of State, John Jerry paid an official visit to Georgia and met the country's President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Apart from these meetings, walked in the streets of Old Tbilisi.
"I am glad to be visiting Georgia prior to the NATO Warsaw Summit, since I am well aware that joining the Alliance is one of your top priorities. We recognize the importance of the reforms that you have embraced," - with these words the US Department of State John Kerry started the meeting with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
The US Secretary of State and Georgia’s Prime Minister signed the Memorandum of Cooperation for the purpose of deepening the cooperation between the states.
The document creates new partnership framework in the spheres of defense and security and covers areas of cooperation that are vital in terms of Georgia's security and sustainability of its armed forces and enhancing its defense capacities.
The document aims at deepening the US-Georgian cooperation in the area of education in terms through reinforcing Fulbright Academic Exchange Program. The Memorandum promotes relations between the private and public universities and research institutes between the countries; the parties will exchange best practices in the field of education and will be given an opportunity of enrolling inand obtaining scholarships from the top universities, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry informs.
“The United States firmly supports Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Russian militarization results are unacceptable in terms of Georgia’s occupation. We call on Russia again to fulfill the 2008 Ceasefire Agreement requirements that envisage withdrawal of its forces and no barrier in terms of humanitarian aid in the region,” Kerry has remarked.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also declared, the upcoming parliamentary elections will be a litmus test for Georgia.
As Kerry said, free and fair elections will be another step towards providing Georgia’s security and economic wellbeing.
U.S. Secretary of State also met with the leaders of parliamentary opposition.
John Kerry has already left Georgia for Ukraine.
Photo courtesy of Mamuka Kudava and MFA Georgia