Obama encourages Georgia to boost democracy

U.S. President Barack Obama has joined Vice President Joe Biden's meeting with visiting Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, calling for consolidation of the nation democratic accomplishments. The Office of the Vice President said in a statement, late on Monday, that Obama and Biden both congratulated the Prime Minister "for Georgia's success in completing the country's first peaceful, democratic transition of power, and urged the Prime Minister to continue working with all of Georgia's leaders and with civil society to advance the rule of law and to consolidate Georgia's significant democratic achievements." They also thanked Georgia "for being a valued friend and reliable partner in supporting our most challenging regional and global priorities." For his part, Obama "expressed the United States' deep appreciation for Georgia's significant contributions to the NATO mission in Afghanistan and honored the sacrifices made by Georgian soldiers and their families." Obama and Georgia's Prime Minister further discussed opportunities for strengthening U.S.-Georgia strategic cooperation, namely by increasing trade and investment ties between the two states. The President and Vice President also reaffirmed the United States' "strong support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders." They also assured the Prime Minister "that the Georgian people had the United States' unwavering support as they pursue their Euro-Atlantic aspirations and pledged continued U.S. assistance to help the new Georgian government as it pursues political, economic, and defense reforms." According to a senior administration official, Biden will be meeting next Monday with the Moldovan Prime Minister Lurie Leanca, saying the Moldovan government is also new and "face their own challenges from working towards a comprehensive settlement to end the frozen conflict on its territory, to continuing the hard work of building a modern and democratic state." The official affirmed that Moldova "has the strong and steadfast support of the United States as it undertakes these challenges." Biden will also confer with Swiss President and Chairperson in Office of the OSCE Didier Burkhalter of Switzerland. The official reiterated the "strong and important friendship" the U.S. shares with the Swiss "that spans a whole range of regional and global issues." "The Swiss protect U.S. interests in Iran and Cuba and are working with us on everything from global health security to nonproliferation to development," the official noted. Now, obviously this comes at an important time for the administration because it gives us the chance to compare notes with the OSCE on potential steps that the international community can take to help Ukrainian leaders deal with the some of the immediate and pressing challenges they face. And the OSCE in particular can offer assistance and expertise to lawmakers as they attempt to put together a new multi-party, unity government that can take the country forward in this difficult time. Meanwhile, the official affirmed that U.S. support for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine "is not part of some zero-sum game with Russia" The official stressed "our engagement rather is aimed at supporting the people of these countries as they seek to fulfill their aspirations and make their own choices about their countries' economic and political futures." "Now they've chosen a European path, but we do not believe that the decision of these countries to pursue a European path should preclude them from having productive relations with Moscow, a point that we have made to Russian counterparts up and down the chain of command," the official noted.