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Civil.net (1 December 2022)

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.

Meeting with PM 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.

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.

1Ambassador 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.

He stressed that the U.S. remains “committed to helping ensure the security and prosperity of Georgia,” as well as its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The United States will continue to do what we can to help you achieve Euro-Atlantic integration because that is the future the people want and deserve,” Ambassador Reeker concluded.

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