US reiterates support for Georgia
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
TBILISI, July 5 (Agencies): US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Monday pledged continued American support for Georgia as the ex-Soviet nation is wending its way to democracy.
Hillary, after arriving in the capital Tblisi as part of her first regional tour, also denounced the Russian military invasion and said Washington was appalled and rejected Moscow's action in August 2008, which threatened the territorial integrity of Georgia.
She said that the Obama administration has a "real democracy agenda" for Georgia. "The United States supports the Georgian people, we support Georgian democracy."
"We continue to object to and criticise actions by Russia which we believe are wrong and on the top of the list is the invasion and occupation of Georgia," Hillary said.
"I'm not going to stand here and tell you this is an easy problem, because it is not," she told rights groups and women leaders.
Clinton also pushed the Georgian side for further reforms, saying a vibrant democracy and economy were key for it to regain control of the runaway territories.
"The more vibrant, effective a democracy and economy Georgia becomes, a greater contrast there will be between South Ossetia and Abkhazia and the rest of Georgia," she said.
Russian invasion remains a bone of contention between Washington and Moscow and complicates U.S. relations with Georgia.
Tbilisi is hopeful that Hillary will take a tough stand on Russia's military presence in the troubled regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and that she will reiterate US support for Georgia's potential entry to the NATO.
Obama administration officials have continued to voice support for Georgia's territorial integrity after the 2008 war, which saw Russian forces intruded into the country to counter a Georgian military assault on Moscow-backed South Ossetia.
Russia after the war recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, a move that has been followed by only a handful of countries. Russia has since established permanent military bases and deployed hundreds of troops and border guards in the regions.
Hillary, after arriving in the capital Tblisi as part of her first regional tour, also denounced the Russian military invasion and said Washington was appalled and rejected Moscow's action in August 2008, which threatened the territorial integrity of Georgia.
She said that the Obama administration has a "real democracy agenda" for Georgia. "The United States supports the Georgian people, we support Georgian democracy."
"We continue to object to and criticise actions by Russia which we believe are wrong and on the top of the list is the invasion and occupation of Georgia," Hillary said.
"I'm not going to stand here and tell you this is an easy problem, because it is not," she told rights groups and women leaders.
Clinton also pushed the Georgian side for further reforms, saying a vibrant democracy and economy were key for it to regain control of the runaway territories.
"The more vibrant, effective a democracy and economy Georgia becomes, a greater contrast there will be between South Ossetia and Abkhazia and the rest of Georgia," she said.
Russian invasion remains a bone of contention between Washington and Moscow and complicates U.S. relations with Georgia.
Tbilisi is hopeful that Hillary will take a tough stand on Russia's military presence in the troubled regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and that she will reiterate US support for Georgia's potential entry to the NATO.
Obama administration officials have continued to voice support for Georgia's territorial integrity after the 2008 war, which saw Russian forces intruded into the country to counter a Georgian military assault on Moscow-backed South Ossetia.
Russia after the war recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, a move that has been followed by only a handful of countries. Russia has since established permanent military bases and deployed hundreds of troops and border guards in the regions.