PM: Relations Between Two Countries Can't Be Put at Risk by Irresponsible Politicians

"I have no idea which Iranian oil is under discussion, and no investigation can be launched on this topic. The only thing in this letter that is a fact is that a specific company suffered final defeat in a specific case of arbitration as a result of a specific arbitration process," Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia said in response to a journalist's question about the letter sent by a US congressmen to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "This is what is behind all of this. No companies – even international ones, or ones registered with our friends or strategic partners, against which we have already won a dispute via arbitration – will be able to put the strategic relations between the countries at risk. Even these domestic, irresponsible politicians and the opposition [will be unable to do so], regardless of how they try to use this."

He noted that Georgia is a country that has greatly deepened Euro-Atlantic cooperation in the last five years, and the cooperation between NATO and Georgia is at a higher level than in has ever been before.

"Georgia is a country that has greatly deepened its Euro-Atlantic cooperation in the last five years. Today, our cooperation with NATO is at an unprecedented level. Today, we are represented in Afghanistan in a way that no Western European or Western country of our size is represented. Therefore, we need to understand that the strategic relations between our countries is systemically molded on the basis of this foundation, rather than on the basis of the letters by these politically engaged lobbyists," the PM stated.

The PM said that Georgia was the first country to take steps that were extremely tough for the country's economy, together with US partners, under conditions of imposing sanctions on Iran since 2013. This was done precisely as a result of the consideration of the strategic partner's interests.

"Georgia was the first country to take steps that were extremely tough for the country's economy together with US partners, under conditions of imposing sanctions on Iran since 2013, which took place precisely at the request of our strategic partner, and as a result of taking into account our strategic partner's interests. You should simply take interest in this and count how many accounts were terminated, what steps were taken by the Ministry of Justice, the National Bank, the government, etc., and you should leave these rumors alone," he noted.

He emphasized that no one can call into question Georgia's Association Agreement, as well as its Euro-Atlantic integration, its cooperation with NATO, and participation in the Black Sea security component.

"It is the unanimous decision of over 70% of Georgian citizens that the country should become a full member of the Euro-Atlantic family, and this country and its current government are doing more than has ever been done before to achieve this goal," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

Related Story: US Congressmen Urge Pompeo to Respond to Concerns about Governance Issues in Georgia