Assistant Secretary Posner Chairs Democracy Working Group

November 17, 2009

Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Michael H. Posner, Tina Kaidanow, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs and U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John R. Bass

Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Michael H. Posner, led a U.S. interagency team on a visit to Georgia on November 17-18 to participate in a working group meeting under the U.S.-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership.  Tina Kaidanow, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, co-chaired the Democracy Working Group for the U.S.  During the Democracy Working Group session, the sides discussed progress and cooperation on a range of democratic reforms in Georgia.  In a joint press conference held after the session, A/S Posner said he viewed his visit to Georgia as a follow-up to Vice President Biden's visit in July, and said discussion in the working group had centered around consolidating electoral processes in light of the spring elections; and rule of law, media freedom, and civil society development issues.  Posner also stressed that the U.S. shares Georgia's concern about the four youths being held in Tskhinvali, and said they should be released immediately.