You're reading: Kvirikashvili: US Vice President’s upcoming visit to Georgia to confirm support for Tbilisi

TBILISI – U.S. Vice President Michael Pence’s upcoming visit to Georgia confirms Washington’s support for Tbilisi, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said.

Georgia has established very close relations with the new U.S. administration, and Pence will visit Georgia on July 31-August 1, Kvirikashvili said at a government meeting on Thursday.

“This visit is yet another important confirmation of the U.S.’ support for Georgia. I think the fact that we have established very close relations with the new U.S. administration in a very short time is extremely important from the standpoint of development of our strategic partnership,” Kvirikashvili said, adding that the format of bilateral strategic relations is developing quite dynamically.

This format envisions four principal areas of cooperation, i.e. security, cultural relations, development of democracy, and economy, energy and trade, he said.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry told journalists Pence would meet with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili during his visit to Tbilisi.

Pence should also be shown the U.S. Army Europe-led Noble Partner 2017 exercise beginning in Georgia.