Related items

• 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.

• Black Sea Arena Launching a Wide-Scale Campaign in Georgia Branded as Starring Georgia

  At the decision of Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, Black Sea Arena is launching a wide-scale campaign in Georgia branded as Starring Georgia. Main goal of the campaign is to promote the country and to boost its tourism, economic and cultural potential.

  Within the scope of the new campaign, concerts will be held in Shekvetili, Tbilisi and other locations, apart from the Black Sea Arena.

  Following events have already been announced:

  Nile Rodgers & Chic on August 5 at Black Sea Arena/Front Stage

  FKJ on August 6 at the Black Sea Arena/Front Stage

  Damian Lazarus on August 10 at The Social Space

  The Killers on August 15 at the Black Sea Arena

  All Day I Dream on August 18 at The Social Space

  Imagine Dragons on August 31 at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium

  Box Office will gradually start selling tickets for the scheduled concerts from April 24 via its website at www.BSA.ge.
• High-level Meeting on Black Sea Submarine Cable Project Held in Tbilisi

  A high-level Steering Committee meeting within the Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the Field of Green Energy Development and Transmission between the Governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary was held in Tbilisi. The Parties to the Agreement emphasized the importance of cooperation in Green Energy Development and Transmission as well as energy security thus underlining the significance of implementation of the Black Sea Submarine Cable project.

  The Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili, opened the meeting. Minister of Finance of Georgia Lasha Khutsishvili, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó, Director of Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency Javid Abdullayev and State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy of Romania, George-Sergiu Niculescu also attended the event. European Union Ambassador to Georgia Paweł Herczyński, Regional Director of the World Bank in the South Caucasus Sebastian Molyneux, General Director of “Georgian State Electric System” Giorgi Gigineishvili and other high-ranking guests also took part in the event.

  The Black Sea Submarine Cable project will be implemented with the support of the Georgian Government and the cooperation of the Georgian and Romanian transmission system operators – “Georgian State Electric System” and “Transelectrica”. On December 17, 2022, an Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the Field of Green Energy Development and Transmission between the Governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary was signed. One of the important issues of the Agreement was the Black Sea Submarine Cable project – upon the implementation of the project, a 1195-kilometer cable will connect Georgia and Romania (1100 km underwater and 95 km on-land cable). The Cable will allow the countries of the South Caucasus and Romania to take advantage of expanded export opportunities and trade based on the hourly prices of the electricity market.

  The Black Sea Submarine Cable is a strategic project and a great investment opportunity for Georgia and its neighbouring countries. It will contribute to the development of the renewable energy sector, increase transit opportunities and bilateral trade potential between the EU and the South Caucasus region, which in turn will ensure a sustainable and reliable energy future for the regions.

  At this stage, "Georgian State Electric System" with the help of consulting company CESI is carrying out a feasibility study of the project. In the future, within the framework of the project, environmental and social impact assessment and geophysical and geotechnical studies of the Black Sea bottom will also be carried out. The possibilities and best ways of practical implementation of the project will also be determined. The committee will review a presentation prepared by CESI outlining ongoing and planned activities within the feasibility study.

  Next meeting of the Steering Committee established within the frame of the Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the Field of Green Energy Development and Transmission between the Governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary will be held in Bucharest. 

• 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/

• Ambassador Degnan about the draft "foreign influence" laws

  "These laws are aimed at blocking Georgians who are helping other Georgians. These are Georgians who are trying to address problems in their communities and provide services, whether it’s on climate change, or for business associations, or for young people, or people with disabilities, legal assistance to people who are in some cases in desperate need. These laws seem to be clearly in line with Russian law, which is aimed at stigmatizing civil society. It’s aimed at silencing dissenting voices. When you look at what’s going on in Russia right now, you see that Russian law has been very effective in silencing civil society and dissenting voices. Georgia has fought hard to build its democracy, to protect its freedoms. These laws will undermine that progress that Georgia has spent so many years building. That is why you hear concerns from the United Nations, from the European Union, from the United States, from many of Georgia’s long-standing friends, who’ve been working with Georgia for over 30 years, to help improve Georgia’s freedoms, protect Georgia’s freedoms, and build the institutions. So that is why people are very concerned. Georgia does not need this law". - Ambassador Degnan about the draft "foreign influence" laws.

  US Embassy in Georgia