The US Allocates 20 Million USD to Assist Georgia’s Armed Forces
The United States plans to allocate 20 million dollars to assist Georgia's Armed Forces. The funding will become available in 2015 through the European Reassurance Initiative.
This information became public after the meeting between Georgia’s Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli and the US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. The two high-ranking officials met on the18th August at the Pentagon to discuss regional security issues and the U.S.-Georgia defense relationship.
According to Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook, “Secretary Carter commended Minister Khidasheli for Georgia's ongoing commitment to Afghanistan as the second-largest overall troop contributor to the NATO Resolute Support Mission.”
“Secretary Carter emphasized that the United States, together with its allies, remain committed to supporting Georgia through the NATO-Georgia Commission and the substantial NATO-Georgia package approved at the 2014 Wales Summit.”
“Secretary Carter also reaffirmed the United States' commitment to continuing defense cooperation with Georgia, including through annual bilateral and multilateral exercises and training,”- the press secretary added.
Georgia’s Defense Minister on her part noted: “more U.S. troops in Georgia, more support to the Georgian army, Georgian defense and security in order to be ready for all the challenges that exist in our region – that’s the main pledge of this partnership, and every day can bring more progress and results in this regard.”
Tinatin Khidasheli started her first official visit to the United States as the Georgian Minister of Defense on the 15th August. She is being accompanied on the tour by General Major Vakhtang Kapanadze, Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces.
Nino Japarashvili