Diplomatic Corps ‘Gravely Concerned’ over Alleged Spying

Diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia met today David Zalkaliani, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, to raise “grave concerns” over reports about wiretapping foreign diplomats and embassy personnel by the Georgian State Security Service.

A brief joint statement, released by the diplomats following the meeting, underscored that the alleged illegal surveillance constitutes “a serious breach” of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and “compromises normal diplomatic work in Georgia.”

A representative group of ambassadors, composed of Holly Sea Nuncio José Avelino Bettencourt, EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell, U.S. Envoy to Georgia Kelly Degnan, and Japanese Ambassador Imamura Akira, also discussed the Prosecutor’s investigation into the reports of illegal surveillance with Minister Zalkaliani.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry Statement

According to the statement issued by the Georgian Foreign Ministry, at the meeting Minister Zalkaliani reaffirmed the government’s “interest and clear position to establish the truth about the reports of illegal surveillance.”

Top Georgian diplomat briefed the foreign ambassador about the ongoing probe into the authenticity and origin of the alleged SSG files and reiterated Georgia’s readiness to receive legal assistance during the investigation from interested international partners.

The statement highlighted that Georgia had already, from the very onset of the investigation, appealed to the U.S. and other countries for legal assistance. 

“The meeting underscored and re-affirmed that Georgia adheres to its international obligations, including to the principles of the 1961 and 1963 Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations,” the Foreign Ministry statement asserted.

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