U.S. Official: Okruashvili’s Arrest was ‘a Complete Surprise’

The arrest of the ex-defense minister, Irakli Okruashvili, “came as a complete surprise,” Daniel Fried, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, told reporters in Washington on October 5.

He denied speculation that the move had been cleared by the Georgian authorities with the U.S. administration. “That’s not actually the way the American Government works,” he said.

Fried, however, added: “Any kind of an arrest like this raises some serious questions and we have spoken to the Georgians about it.”

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