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• THE VISIT OF THE DELEGATION OF TURKMENISTAN TO THE UNITED STATES IS COMPLETED

  On April 24 this year, the working visit of the Turkmen delegation to the United States of America ended.

  As previously reported, another round of Turkmen-American political consultations was held in Washington. In addition, negotiations were held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

  During the visit, a meeting of the delegation of Turkmenistan with the head of the Turkmen-American Business Council, Eric Stewart, was also organized. Representatives of the US State Department and a number of American companies also took part in the meeting on behalf of the American side.

  During the meeting, a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation in various areas between Turkmenistan and the United States was discussed. The importance of further building up trade and economic ties between the two countries was noted.

  An exchange of views took place on promising projects in the gas and chemical industry, agriculture, in the field of renewable energy sources and hydrogen energy. The issues of further supplies of agricultural machinery for the needs of water and agriculture in Turkmenistan were also discussed.

  During the meeting, the importance of solving the problem of reducing methane emissions into the atmosphere was noted and issues of cooperation in this direction were discussed.

  On the same day, the meeting of the Turkmen delegation with US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt took place in a friendly and constructive atmosphere.

  The parties discussed the implementation of major projects involving leading American businesses. Attention was paid to the supply of Turkmen energy resources to world markets, in particular, in the European direction. At the same time, the prospects for the implementation of TAPI and TAP projects were considered.

• Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili meets Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

  Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met today in Baku with Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

  At the face-to-face meeting, the parties discussed the productive cooperation between the two countries across a variety of areas, also issues pertaining to regional security.

  The conversation focused on the seminal Black Sea submarine electricity cable project connecting the Caucasus Region and Europe. Irakli Garibashvili and Ilham Aliyev discussed the dynamic of the project’s implementation and relevant plans for the future.

  The key directions of the intensive trade and economic cooperation between Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan were also discussed.

  Irakli Garibashvili and Ilham Aliyev spoke about the regional and global security environment and challenges. The importance of peace and stability in the region for ensuring economic development was underlined. Irakli Garibashvili assured Ilham Aliyev of Georgia’s commitment to continuing its contribution toward ensuring peace and stability in the region.

  Press Service of the Government Administration
• LASHA DARSALIA HAS MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION OF AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY

  On 6 March 2023, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Lasha Darsalia, held a meeting with the members of Chairman of the International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations Committee of the Milli Majlis, and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, who are on an official visit to Georgia.

  Discussions focused on the importance of the strategic cooperation, including the inter-parliamentary Georgia-Turkey-Azerbaijan cooperation.

  Special attention was paid to the new regional project on strategic partnership in the field of green energy development and transmission initiated by Georgia.

  The parties talked about the complex security environment of the region, existing challenges and the importance of diplomatic efforts. Opportunities of the region and aspects of future cooperation were highlighted. The sides stated that they are ready to make appropriate contributions to ensuring regional peace and stability.

  During the meeting, the Turkish side expressed special thanks to Georgia for the invaluable assistance provided to the Republic of Turkey after the devastating earthquake.

• Georgian Prime Minister meets Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia

  Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia.

  The conversation at the meeting focused on the multidirectional relations and productive cooperation between Georgia and Armenia. It was noted that Georgia and Armenia are linked by a centuries-old history and good-neighborly relations.

  The current cooperation between the two countries in the areas of education and science and topics pertaining to expanding these relations in the future were discussed. It was noted that the Georgian side is actively cooperating with Armenian counterparts and is committed to continuing efforts toward exchanging experience in the area of education, ensuring education quality, and reforming.

  It was underlined that the Georgian Government remains committed to enhancing access to quality education.

  The meeting at the Government Administration was attended by Minister of Education and Science Mikheil Chkhenkeli and Armenia’s Ambassador to Georgia Ashot Smbatyan.

  Press Service of the Government Administration
• US labels Foreign Agents bill setback to Georgia's aspirations, US ability to be Georgians' partners

  “We see a draft piece of legislation that would be a tremendous setback. This would be a setback to the aspirations of the people of Georgia; it would be a setback to the ability of the United States to continue to be a partner for the people of Georgia,” Ned Price, US Department spokesperson stated at the briefing.

  Ned Price commented on the People’s Power-tabled bill on the Transparency of Foreign Influence that the Parliament of Georgia adopted on March 7th in its first reading.

  According to the spokesperson, “anyone who is voting for this draft legislation would be responsible in part for jeopardizing those very Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people.

  “You asked about the feeling here. The feeling here is one of deep concern. You have heard us express that sentiment consistently in recent days. It is a feeling of deep concern because of the potential implications of this draft law. This draft law would strike at some of the very rights that are central to the aspirations of the people of Georgia for a consolidated democracy, for Euro-Atlantic integration, and for a brighter future. It would stigmatize and silence independent voices and citizens of Georgia who wish to do nothing more than work together to build a brighter future, a future that is integrated with Europe, a future that is democratic and free, where Georgia is an independent and sovereign country,” Ned Price has said.

  The spokesperson went on to say that the US was “deeply concerned and troubled, of course, for what this could mean for the people of Georgia.”

  “We are so deeply concerned and troubled, of course, for what this could mean for the people of Georgia, but also because the United States has been a partner to Georgia over the course of recent decades. Ever since Georgia declared its independence, the United States has been right there with it supporting the aspirations of the Georgian people. And at the earliest days of Georgia’s independence, those aspirations were nascent. They were nothing more than an idea in some cases.

  Over the course of ensuing decades, the people of Georgia have worked to realize those aspirations. They have made tremendous progress in becoming the democracy that they sought from those earliest days, in integrating Georgia into the Euro-Atlantic community and ensuring that Georgia stays on that path.

  Now, however, we see a draft piece of legislation that would be a tremendous setback. This would be a setback to the aspirations of the people of Georgia; it would be a setback to the ability of the United States to continue to be a partner for the people of Georgia. I made this point yesterday, I think it was, but anyone who is voting for this draft legislation would be responsible in part for jeopardizing those very Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people. We don’t wish to see that happen. Beyond the United States, it is the EU, the UN, of course most importantly the Georgian people, Georgian civil society groups – all of them have issued strong statements of concern about this draft legislation,” Ned Price stated.

  The State Department spokesperson also stated that “the best counterexample is the United States partnership with Georgia,” as the United States are concerned, that partnership could be – at least in part – jeopardized should a law like this move forward.

  “The best example is the counterexample. It is an example of the type of partnership that the United States Government can have with people and countries that aspire to continue down that path of democracy, of democratic reform, of integration with Europe and the broader Euro-Atlantic region. I think the best counterexample is the United States partnership with Georgia, if you want to look at what that partnership can look like, what that partnership can feel like, and how, as we are concerned, that partnership could be – at least in part – jeopardized should a law like this move forward.

  Ultimately, these are going to be the decisions of the Georgian people and the Georgian Government. It is our strong hope that the Georgian Government listens to the Georgian people. The Georgian people are speaking with a clear voice. Right now, we’re seeing some of those clear voices, those loud voices drowned out by tear gas, by efforts to suppress those – that peaceful exercise of freedom of assembly. That’s of concern to us. But ultimately, we think it’s important that governments around the world, including, of course, the government in Tbilisi, listens to its people,” Price stated.

  Alluding to a question whether “there is anything that prevents the United States Government from sanctioning Mr. Ivanishvili, “who is obviously bringing up this sort of legislations,” Ned Price stated: “I don’t speak to specific individuals or entities who may be subject to U.S. or other sanctions, but we have a number of tools within our purview that would allow us to hold accountable anyone in any country around the world who is responsible for the suppression of what would otherwise be a universal human right. There are authorities that are written into various laws, into executive orders that we will look at closely in this context, as we do in any context, to hold to account those who may run afoul of what the Georgian people want and, most importantly, what the Georgian people expect and deserve in terms of their universal rights.”

  Source: https://1tv.ge/lang/en/news/us-labels-foreign-agents-bill-setback-to-georgias-aspirations-us-ability-to-be-georgians-partners/