Congressman Poe Urges US to Sign Free Trade Agreement with Georgia
Chairman of the House Georgia Caucus, United States Congressman Ted Poe (Republican, Texas) sent a letter to the US Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer urging him to consider conclusion of a free trade agreement with Georgia.
The information was released by Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The ministry says Poe’s letter reads that in close cooperation with the United States, Georgia plays a key role in ensuring stability in the Caucasus region and supporting American security interests around the world.
“Georgia is a critical strategic partner that has made remarkable progress over the past two decades in enacting political and economic reforms…Lowering trade barriers between our two nations would go a long way towards further strengthening our partnership,” the letter reads.
In his letter, the Congressman notes the US and Georgia have already established the foundation of a growing relationship between American and Georgian companies, workers, and consumers.
Moreover, the letter underlines the importance of Georgia’s strategic location, granting access to landlocked Central Asian countries, with a combined market size of 120 million people and a combined economy of $300 billion.
Poe mentions that in 2014, Georgia signed an Association Agreement with the EU, which enabled a new Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the two.
“As a result, Georgia recently implemented several important economic reforms, including improvements to tax and regulatory regimes to improve its investment-friendly environment.
US business and workers must also be able to take advantage of the improving commercial climate in Georgia through our own bilateral free trade agreement. The benefits of deeper economic integration between our nations are immensurable because they will provide dividends beyond the free flow of goods, services, and investment,” he stated.
The Congressman believes that with the increased trade, both countries can enjoy stability and security.
“Given the economic and geostrategic importance of the American-Georgian relationship, I strongly encourage you to launch negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement,” the letter reads.
The Georgian MFA highlights that in June, 28 US congressmen sent a strong bipartisan supportive letter to US Trade Representative Ambassador Lighthizer, urging him to start negotiations with Georgia in order to sign a US-Georgia Free Trade Agreement.
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, commented on the letter of Congressman Ted Poe, saying a free trade agreement with the US would be a very important message and a precondition for Georgia to reach one of the key goals of its economic strategy by transforming the country into a regional economic hub.
"We have advanced to an active phase in discussing the FTA issue with our American colleagues, which is a very important precondition for further strengthening Georgia economically. Our friends have responded to Congressman Ted Poe's initiative and expressed their views. 28 Members of Congress have urged the US Trade Representative to speed up reviewing this initiative," the PM stated.
By Thea Morrison
Photo source: abc13.com