U.S. Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman spoke today with Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani.  The relevant press release was published on the official website of the U.S. Department of State.
 
The Deputy Secretary reiterated the United States’ unwavering support for Georgia’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.  She noted the United States will continue to urge Russia to withdraw its forces to pre-war positions and comply with the 2008 ceasefire agreement. 

Deputy Secretary Sherman and Foreign Minister Zalkaliani emphasized the need to uphold the right of sovereign nations to choose their own security arrangements and support Georgia and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of continued Russian aggression, and discussed how to enhance peace and security in Europe.

Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller outlined the decisions taken by Allied leaders last week in a keynote speech to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Tbilisi on Monday (29 May 2017). She highlighted that the Alliance is stepping up in the fight against terrorism and making progress on fairer burden-sharing across NATO.

The Deputy Secretary General welcomed that NATO is now a full member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS – a strong symbol of the Alliance’s commitment to the fight against terrorism. NATO AWACS surveillance aircraft will also support the Coalition with airspace management, and a new terrorism intelligence cell at NATO headquarters will improve the sharing of information among Allies. Ms. Gottemoeller stressed that NATO leaders also agreed to do more to ensure fairer burden sharing across the Alliance, with national plans setting out how Allies intend to meet their defence commitments. She highlighted that Montenegro will soon become the 29th member of the Alliance – a clear sign that the door to NATO membership remains open.

 The Deputy Secretary General also thanked Georgia for its contributions to NATO, including in Afghanistan. She noted that NATO continues to support Georgia, helping to boost its defence capabilities and to prepare the country for NATO membership. Ms. Gottemoeller added that NPA members play an important role in representing constituents and holding political leaders to account for the decisions they take.

During her visit to Georgia, Ms. Gottemoeller will meet with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, Defence Minister Levan Izoria and the Chairman of the Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze.

Ms. Rose Gottemoeller took up her post as NATO’s Deputy Secretary General – the Alliance’s second most senior international civil servant – on Monday (17 October 2016). Ms. Gottemoeller most recently served as US Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, advising the Secretary of State on arms control, non-proliferation and political-military affairs.
Ms. Gottemoeller brings a wealth of experience in international security policy to her new role. She served as the chief US negotiator of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the Russian Federation, which entered into force in February 2011. She has also held senior posts at the US Department of Energy, and leadership roles at the Carnegie Moscow Center and the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
Ms. Gottemoeller is the first woman to serve as NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, and succeeds Ambassador Alexander Vershbow of the United States, who held the post from February 2012.