Foreign Minister Meets U.S. Secretary of State

As part of his working visit to Washington D.C., Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze met with the new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The Georgian MFA reported after the February 10 meeting that Janelidze thanked the Secretary of State for the U.S.’s “outstanding role in building Georgia as an independent state.”

He also emphasized that Georgia “shares with the West such common values as democracy, rule of law and freedom.”

The sides also focused on “the security situation in the region and issues related to the Georgian-Russian conflict,” according to the statement.

“Rex Tillerson reaffirmed the U.S. administration’s firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and its readiness to support the country in dealing with the challenges it currently faces,” the Georgian MFA reported.

“Rex Tillerson thanked Georgia for its contribution towards maintaining global security and for the bravery of Georgian soldiers serving in international peacekeeping missions,” it also said.

According to the Georgian MFA, the sides “reaffirmed their readiness to continue an active dialogue on all issues of importance to Georgia and to contribute to further deepening the existing bilateral co-operation.” 

Responding to Janelidze’s invitation, the U.S. Secretary of State “expressed his interest to make a visit to Georgia, where possible.”

“Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze is among first top diplomats to meet with the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Great day for Georgia and the United States,” Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said in his twitter post.