The United States Delegation visits Georgia

Celeste A. Wallander, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Russia/Ukraine/Eurasia is paying an official visit to Georgia. An American official met with the Georgian president Mikheil Saakasvili. The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Bacho Akhalaia. During the meeting the sides discussed the issues of mutual relations of the US and Georgia and discussed prospects of deepening cooperation. 

On behalf of the United States` government, Celeste Wallander and the US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia John R. Bass extended their condolences over the death of the Georgian soldiers serving in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. “The US delegation from the Department of Defence met today with President Saakashvili. We discussed many issues. But what of the most important issues we discussed was expressing US condolences for the loss of three Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan this week. We are deeply grateful to the citizens of Georgia for the contribution of your country to our common security mission in Afghanistan. We very deeply regret the loss of life. We will continue to cooperate with the Ministry of Defence and improving the training and security of Georgia’s contribution in ISAF. But meanwhile we remain deeply grateful and very much deeply regret the loss of life in Afghanistan,” said Dr. Wallander after the meeting. 

Within a formal stay in Georgia, Dr. Wallander and EUCOM Deputy J-5, RDML Mark  Montgomery visited National Defence Academy in Gori. They met with the Academy students and officers. Georgia’s NATO integration, defence reforms and importance of military education were the key topics of discussions.

After the meeting, the American officials came to see the military servicemen wounded while performing the ISAF security mission in Afghanistan. The soldiers are going through a rehabilitation course in the Gori Military Hospital. 
Tomorrow, under the visit agenda the delegation from the US Department of Defence will hold meetings at the Ministry of Defence. 

Previous Next