Assistant Secretary Reeker Meets PM, Patriarch, Gakharia
Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Philip Reeker, who is on a weeklong June 6-13 tour in the South Caucasus, returned to Tbilisi, where he met on June 11 Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Georgian orthodox Patriarch Ilia II, and former PM Giorgi Gakharia.
PM Garibashvili tweeted that at the meeting parties discussed regional security issues. He stressed Georgia remains “a loyal ally” of the U.S. in the region.
At the meeting with Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II, the Acting Assistant Secretary talked about U.S. cultural preservation efforts in Georgia, including the project to preserve Jvari monastery, a revered medieval site in Mtskheta, located not far from Tbilisi, the capital.
AA/S Reeker toured Georgia’s beautiful 6th Century Jvari monastery where the U.S. is funding the Chubinashvili Centre’s efforts to preserve and protect the iconic monastery for future generations as a symbol of U.S.-Georgian friendship and partnership. @HeritageatState #AFCP pic.twitter.com/ajlaEx7hn6
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) June 11, 2021
Further, the Assistant Secretary of State, together with U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan met with former PM Giorgi Gakharia, new For Georgia party leader, and his party colleague Kakha Kemoklidze. Ex-PM spoke of his party plans, among others, as per Gakharia’s press office.
Together with Ambassador Adam Sterling, Political Advisor to the U.S. European Command, Philip Reeker also held a meeting with Marek Szczygieł, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission to Georgia. The EUMM Head briefed the U.S. officials on the latest security and humanitarian developments on the ground in/around the occupied regions.
Also Read:
- Assistant Secretary Begins Tbilisi Visit, Meets CSOs
- U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary Continues Tbilisi Visit
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
