Georgia Support Act Introduced in US Congress
Yesterday, June 26, 2018, Co-Chairmen of the Georgia Caucus, U.S. Congressmen Ted Poe (a Republican from Texas) and Gerald Connolly (a Democrat from Virginia) introduced the bi-partisan Georgia Support Act. The legislation reasserts the United States’ support for Georgia’s sovereignty and opposition to the forceful and illegal Russian invasion of Abkhazia and Tskhinivali region/South Ossetia.
Congressman Poe said, “Georgia is a stalwart friend of the United States and serves as a regional model for democracy and liberty in a part of the world where government repression is the norm. The friendship between our two nations has been forged in blood, as Georgian troops fight and die alongside American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is no doubt, the United States must do more to help Tbilisi continue its democratic trajectory and defend against the very real Russian threat to its territorial integrity and democratic institutions.”
“Georgia is a valued and strategic partner of the United States,” said Congressman Connolly. “In the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia has violated Georgia’s territorial integrity and committed serious human rights abuses, including ongoing detentions and killings. This bill authorizes sanctions against those responsible for or complicit in human rights violations and builds on previous efforts to bolster Georgia’s territorial integrity.”
The Georgia Support Act has several provisions:
- Calls for increased security assistance to Georgia to enhance the country’s deterrence, resilience, and self-defense.
- Sanctions Russian actors in the occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia linked to serious human rights abuses.
- Aids Georgia in defense against Russia’s cyber-enabled warfare by increasing U.S. cybersecurity cooperation with Georgia.
- Requires the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to improve Georgia’s capabilities to combat Russian disinformation and propaganda campaigns.
Today, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili acknowledged the Georgia Support Act, tweeting, “I am glad that the Co-Chairs of Group of Georgia's Friends submitted a bipartisan bill (Georgia Support Act) to the US Congress. This legislative act reasserts the US support for Georgia.”
Margvelashvili himself initiated the adoption of legislation in support of Georgia from the US Congress on March 15 during a visit to Washington, D.C. "An act in support of Georgia will be the next logical step to support and strengthen the special relationships. The Georgia Support Act will unify all existing cooperation formats and create new formats. It will provide long-term stability of my nation as well as the protection of US interests in the region," said Margvelashvili.
Georgian Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani said that “Georgia has not had the legislative support of such volume and content in the history of its independence.” Zalkaliani called the bill “unprecented,” and “a truly historic act,” adding that the bill has a “particular emphasis on defense and security, and the possibility of free trade with the US.”
According to Zalkaliani, the legislation is the result of intensive work by the Georgian government and Parliament with major strategic partner, the United States.
By Samantha Guthrie