Georgian FM signals new phase of engagement with United States

Georgian foreign minister Maka Botchorishvili on Wednesday signaled a new phase of engagement with the United States, announcing several high-level visits aimed at resetting the bilateral relationship.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Botchorishvili emphasised that the upcoming weeks would feature active diplomacy between Tbilisi and Washington to discuss ongoing processes and future cooperation.

“We are expecting delegations from the United States. This week, we will host a representative of the state department. We will once again have the opportunity to discuss Georgia-United States relations - where we are, where we stand, and what our future plans are. Another visit is also scheduled for the second half of May, where we will hold more in-depth discussions on bilateral relations. In short, there is a certain dynamic, and I hope our relations will become much more substantive and positive than they have been in recent years. We have never concealed our positions and attitudes toward the United States. No one can deny today the role of the United States both in our region and globally, and of course, there is an objective interest in having good relations with the United States”, she said.

Speaking about the strategic partnership between Georgia and the United States, Botchorishvili stressed the importance of identifying mutual interests and working on a new framework for cooperation.

“That is why it is important to discuss our interests - what Georgia’s interests are, what the interests of the United States are, where we meet, where the points of convergence are, and what frameworks we can use to develop our future cooperation. This, of course, requires work. It requires extensive exchanges of positions, and it is very encouraging that certain steps are being taken by the United States to provide opportunities for these meetings and for familiarising ourselves with each other’s positions”, Botchorishvili concluded.