Mike Pence and President of Georgia Address Participants of Noble Partner Drills

US Vice President Mike Pence, and Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili greeted participants of the multinational military exercise Noble Partner 2017, which is currently underway in Georgia until August 12.

“You stand shoulder in shoulder with our security, you stand together for the liberty of our people, this is why you are noble and your partnership is vital for our common welfare,” President Margvelashvili said in his speech.

“Freedom is of the highest value for Georgians and for Americans, their dedication to liberty unifies both nations. Our countries are strategic partners, sharing common values and goals,” he noted, underlining that the US Government's assistance to Georgia is crucial.  

 In his speech, the President of Georgia emphasized that not too far away, there are wire fences installed, depriving the citizens of Georgia the right of free movement.

He also stressed that 20 percent of the country is occupied by Russia because Georgia decided to be a free and independent nation. According to the president, Russia’s occupation policy has no limits.

“My country as a European nation creates great opportunities in further strengthening ties between both East and West, but to do so our freedom has to be secured, therefore today, we need a firm call to tear down those walls,” Margvelashvili said.

The Minister of Defence of Georgia, Levan Izoria, who also addressed the participants of Noble Partner, noted that the title Noble Partner itself underlines the partnership established not only in a military sphere, but in a wider global context.

“We’re linked with the historic tradition of defending our dignity… we’re linked with common cultural roots, that unites us with the common responsibility of strengthening the world of free societies and the north Atlantic area,” Levan Izoria noted.      

Mike Pence said it was an honor for him to address the men and women of exercise Nobel Partner.

“I bring greetings of the leader of the free world, President of United States of America, Donald Trump. The President sent me here, to this place and at this time simply to thank you all, for serving your nations,” he said in his speech.

He added that the US and Georgia are bound together by the abiding friendship and by shared commitment to defend freedom.

"Georgia has been a strategic partner of the United States for years. Thousands of Georgian servicemen served with dignity together with the Americans in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq. Georgia has sent more military personnel per capita than any other country worldwide,” the Vice-President stated, recalling the 31 killed Georgian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for freedom.

Mike Pence also met the Catholicos patriarch of Georgia Ilia II in Sioni Cathedral, after which he and his delegation left Georgia for Montenegro.

By Nino Gugunishvili.