Washington denies allegations of opening US embassy in Georgia
- 14 September, 20:58
The United States’ Embassy in Georgia has denied media reports about opening a US military base in the South Caucasus country.
“The United States has not proposed the establishment of a U.S. military base in Georgia,” the embassy said in a statement. “The US-Georgia defense relationship has been and remains based on strengthening interoperability and supporting Georgia in deterring further aggression and defending its sovereign territory, better preparing Georgia for NATO membership.”
The statement follows a report on Georgian TV channel on September 13 that the ruling Georgian Dream party refused US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s offer to open a military base in Georgia. “Mtavari Arxi” TV channel claimed that the offer was made during Austin’s visit to the country several months prior to Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine.
Georgian Defence Ministry said the reports about alleged military base in the country were being spread by “a politically engaged person, which is subsequently used by certain media outlets and politically motivated individuals to conduct a disinformation campaign.” The ministry, however did not clarify who the “politically motivated” persons behind the report were.
