Joe Biden and Georgian prime minister
According to exclusive information from Voice of America, U.S. president Joe Biden has changed his mind about inviting the prime minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, to the traditional reception for world leaders and high-ranking UN officials scheduled for September 25 in New York. Although Kobakhidze was initially included on the guest list, the invitation was later rescinded. This was confirmed to Voice of America by a senior representative of the U.S. administration and another source in Congress.
The U.S. president hosts an annual reception during the UN General Assembly, inviting leaders from most countries around the world, excluding states like Iran and North Korea.
In addition to canceling the prime minister’s invitation, the administration also declined all meetings with him and the Georgian delegation. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also refused to meet with Kobakhidze.
One U.S. administration representative told Voice of America that “recent actions and statements by the Georgian government reflect a shocking disregard for democracy and the will of the Georgian people.”
According to Voice of America, the reason for this move was the anti-democratic behavior of the Georgian authorities, including the adoption of the “foreign agents” law, the intention to ban opposition parties, and the actions of the Anti-Corruption Bureau against non-governmental organizations such as Transparency International-Georgia and “Choose Europe.”
The publication reports that the latest communication with the Georgian government did not instill hope in the American administration that Tbilisi would change its course. On the contrary, the steps taken by the Georgian government convince the administration that it is determined to ignore the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration and the will of the Georgian people.
Background
On September 20, Voice of America, citing senior White House officials, reported that the United States had developed sanctions against the honorary chairman of the ruling party “Georgian Dream,” Bidzina Ivanishvili, and is considering implementing them in the near future. The timeline for the imposition of sanctions has not been specified, and it is still unclear whether this will happen before or after the parliamentary elections on October 26.
Joe Biden and Georgian prime minister
In recent days, several versions of what might be happening in Georgia’s political landscape have been circulating in the media:
- The television company Formula, citing its sources, reported that the honorary chairman of the ruling “Georgian Dream,” oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, received a personal message from Washington stating that they were ending communication with prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze and his administration. This occurred after the prime minister met with the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia and openly threatened Washington.
- Georgian expert Gia Khukhashvili stated on his Facebook page that, according to his information, prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze had approached high-ranking officials in Israel seeking assistance in arranging an urgent meeting with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
- The Formula television channel also reported that prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze is preparing to announce his intention to sign a non-aggression pact with the separatist regimes of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, thereby recognizing them as subjects of international law.
Tbilisi Mayor and one of the leaders of the ruling party Kakha Kaladze denied all these versions in an interview with journalists, calling them “unfounded.”
