The flagship of the U.S. 6th Fleet, USS Mount Whitney, docked in Batumi port, October 14, 2016. Photo: Georgian PM’s office
Port visit of the U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney to Batumi is an expression of the United States’ “unwavering support” for Georgia, PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili said while visiting the warship on October 14.
“This port visit is extremely important for our country. Along with contributing to peace and stability in the Black Sea region, the visit by the U.S. ship reaffirms once again unwavering support of our strategic partner – the United States, to our country,” he said at a reception held on board of the U.S. 6th Fleet’s flagship.
“Strategic partnership with the United States is the most efficient mechanism on the path towards strengthening Georgia’s security and self-defense capabilities, as well as towards Georgia’s NATO integration,” PM Kvirikashvili said.
“Black Sea security is an important component of the Euro-Atlantic security. Such activities [referring to the port calls of the NATO members’ warships] reflects NATO’s stance towards Georgia’s engagement in a dialogue on Black Sea security and we are ready to further deepen relationship in this regard,” he said.
The French frigate Premier-Maitre L’Her will arrive in Batumi on October 17 for a three-day port visit.
This is the fourth port visit to Georgia by the USS Mount Whitney.
It delivered humanitarian aid to the port of Poti in early September 2008, less than a month after Georgia-Russia war; at the time Russian military forces were still maintaining two outposts in the outskirts of Poti. The Mount Whitney also made port visit to Georgia in November, 2013 and then in October, 2014.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)