WASHINGTON — Georgia's new foreign minister is reassuring the United States that it remains her country's most important ally.
A
day after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton, Maia Panjikidze also brushed off U.S. concerns about arrests of
allies of President Mikhail Saakashvili.
The U.S. is watching the
new Georgian government for signs of drift from the West following
October’s parliamentary elections. The new prime minister, Bidzina
Ivanishvili, defeated Saakashvili’s party and assumed much of the
government’s powers. He quickly pledged to improve relations with Russia and crack down on abuse of power by the former government.
Several
officials have already been arrested. On Thursday, Clinton expressed
concern about the arrests but also received Panjikidze warmly and
praised the country for a peaceful transition of power.
