(Tbilisi, November 25, 2002. Civil Georgia) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, who is visiting Tbilisi, met with President Shevardnadze and other Georgian officials on November 24.
Progress of the Georgia Train and Equip Program (GTEP) was the main topic of discussions.
“The U.S. and Georgian relationship is a very rare, important one,” Gn. Myers said after meeting with Shevardnadze and Georgian Defense Minister David Tevzadze. “It’s been strengthening over the years, and we very much appreciate Georgian help on this war against terrorism.”
On November 24 General Myers also said that the US financed Train and Equip Program is going “very well” and would continue for another 18 months.
“This program will go on for some time and ends sometime in the middle of 2004″ – Myers said
General Myers did not comment possibilities of Georgia’s accession to NATO, saying that this is a political issue. As we have been informing, President Eduard Shevardnadze officially announced Georgia’s commitment to join the alliance at the NATO Prague Summit.
On November 25 General Myers will visit Krtsanisi training center, where American instructors are training Georgian servicemen in the framework of the Train and Equip Program. Visit of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Georgia ends today.
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