U.S. officials on sanctions in Georgia
Former senior White House officials Daniel Fried and David Kramer, along with former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia William Courtney, spoke to “Voice of America” about the sanctions imposed by the U.S. State Department against high-ranking Georgian officials. U.S. officials warn that Washington is attempting to deter the Georgian government from continuing on its current path.
The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned the head of Georgia’s special forces, Zviad Kharazishvili (known as Khareba), his deputy Mileri Lagazauri, and leaders of the pro-Russian Alt-info movement, Konstantin Morgoshia and Zurab Makhardze.
Additionally, the State Department imposed visa restrictions on more than 60 members of Georgia’s government and parliament, including their families, for “undermining democracy in the country.”
Notably, like Khareba, his deputy has also been added to the so-called “Magnitsky List.” Both officials are linked to violence against opponents of the “foreign agent” law (also referred to as the Russian law by the public).
The U.S. Treasury stated that all property and assets of these individuals in the U.S. or under U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen.
Daniel Fried, former coordinator of sanctions policy at the U.S. State Department, stated:
“The U.S. government has long warned the authorities in Georgia that American-Georgian relations are based on democracy, freedom, and civil society in Georgia. America was not pleased even when Saakashvili mishandled the public in 2007, so this is not a move against any specific party.
However, it seems that the ‘Georgian Dream’ government has gone further and is putting pressure on civil society. The Biden administration has taken another step and identified those members of the Georgian government who bear responsibility for this.
I find it very interesting that they made this move before the elections. They are trying to warn the Georgian government not to go down this path. However, I’m not sure if the Georgian government is listening.
This was a very carefully considered step. The Biden administration, the State Department, and the National Security Council are not driven by emotions, anger, or anything like that. They make decisions very deliberately and after deep reflection on how to approach this issue.”
David Kramer, former assistant secretary of state and executive director of the George W. Bush Institute: “The Treasury comes in when financial sanctions are imposed. Previously, sanctions were only from the State Department and they were visa-related, and now four individuals have been sanctioned financially and 60 have been sanctioned visa-restricted. This is a dramatic escalation of the measures taken by the US government.
Let’s be clear that the responsibility for the current situation lies with the Georgian Dream, the government and Bidzina Ivanishvili. They are leading Georgia down the wrong path.
They talk about a “the global war party,” about banning the opposition, they have adopted a Russian-style law against NGOs [the law “on foreign agents”], they are fighting the LGBTQ+ community. So America is simply responding to this, as well as to attacks on Americans, senators, congressmen and the former US ambassador, and saying: “Enough!”
William Courtney, former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, stated: “I would compare the current situation only to that of Alexander Lukashenko and Belarus among the former Soviet countries. But the current leaders of Georgia are far more hostile towards the West, Europe, and America.
That’s why I’m concerned about human rights violations and the possibility of rigged parliamentary elections in October.
To some extent, these [current sanctions] are a warning that if the October elections are falsified, further consequences will follow.”
