US National Defense Authorization Act Assesses Georgia as Valuable Partner

The United States (US) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which sets policy for the Department of Defense for the next year, underlines that Georgia is a valuable partner of the US.

“Georgia is a valuable friend of the US having confirmed its devotedness to promoting the mutual interests of the two countries including deployment of Georgian troops in Afghanistan,” reads the document.

The NDAA was approved by the House of Representatives with a vote of 375-34 on December 3 and it reads that the US supports further cooperation with Georgia.

The Ambassador of the US to Georgia, Ian Kelly said he was not surprised by the fact that the US considers Georgia as its partner.

“I was not surprised that this decision was made. Georgia has the support from the US towards its territorial integrity and enhancement of self-defense capabilities,” Ian Kelly stated and added that the US and Georgia would deepen their relationship, especially in the field of training troops.

Moreover, the House of Representatives of the USA wants to cut the Pentagon’s military-to-military cooperation with Russia, unless Moscow “ceased its occupation of Ukrainian territory and its aggressive activities that threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.”

However, the US lawmakers did not entirely close the door to military cooperation with Moscow.

By Thea Morrison

Photo: US Ambassador to Georgia, Ian Kelly

Source: ipress.ge