Press Release
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Visit Tbilisi
September 14, 2000
Tbilisi—U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Henry Shelton, will visit Tbilisi on September 14th for meetings with Georgian government officials. This is General Shelton’s first visit to Georgia.
During the visit, General Shelton is scheduled to meet with President Shevardnadze as well as Zurab Zhvania, Parliamentary Speaker; Revaz Adamia, Chairman of the Committee on Defense and Security; David Tevzadze, Minister of Defense and John Pirtskhalaishvili, Chief of the General Staff.
General Shelton and Georgian officials will discuss a range of security issues. Changes in the Georgian Ministry of Defense, based on the U.S. European Command’s Defense Assessment of Georgia, will also be discussed. The Defense Assessment was accepted by the Government of Georgia in June 2000.
General Shelton’s visit will underscore and further enhance U.S. – Georgian cooperation in developing Georgia’s defense and security structures.