Parliament Speaker: Russia the Biggest Challenge for Georgia's Independence

Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze stated that Russia still remains the biggest challenge for Georgia’s national independence.

The speaker made the statement while delivering a speech at an event organized by the US Foreign Policy Council in Washington DC.

Irakli Kobakhidze, together with the chairmen of the Ukrainian, Moldovan, Lithuanian and Polish parliaments, spoke at the discussion ‘Russian Revanchism & Nord Stream II: A Candid Conversation with Five European Parliamentary Speakers’ on June 27.

"I am glad to see that Georgia, also free and democratic has so many friends… In order to become a valuable member of the international community, Georgia contributes to international stability and security,” he stated.

The Parliament Speaker talked about the recent developments in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, saying that despite the constructive and pragmatic approach of Georgia, Russia has never tried to take retaliatory steps in order to reduce security problems in Georgia's occupied territories.

“The human rights and security situation is worsening by the day in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Every day people are kidnapped. We also see innocent people dying in these two occupied regions,” he said, bringing the example of the Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili, who was tortured and killed in occupied South Ossetia on February 23.

“The death of Tatunashvli clarified that the conflict in Georgia’s breakaway regions is not frozen and that it brings death to Georgians,” he added.

Kobakhidze underlined that Georgia has a strong and continuous resistance to Russian aggression with the help of regional and western partners.

He also talked about the upcoming NATO Summit, saying that Georgia is expecting positive outcomes from it.

“We look forward to the NATO Summit, which, in our deepest belief, will recognize Georgia's progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration and will accelerate the full membership of Georgia into NATO,” said Kobakhidze.

He also noted that Georgia is eager to further intensify close ties with both the European Union and the US.

“Our relationship with the US has moved to a new level. This relationship reached an unprecedented level last year. The United States and Georgia share common strategic goals that are based on the values of democratic transformation and stability in the region,” he stated.

During his June 26-28 visit to the US, Kobakhidze met with congressmen Poe and Connolly and thanked them for introducing the bipartisan resolution in the House of Representatives on June 26, reasserting the US’ support for Georgia’s sovereignty and condemning “the forceful and illegal Russian invasion of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”

He also met Senator Cory Gardner and the co-Chairs of the US Congress Democratic Partnership, Peter Roskam and David Price.

By Thea Morrison