March 30, 2007
Post-Meeting Press Availability Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza and Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze Georgian Parliament
Speaker Burjanadze: It is a pleasure for me to host today in the Georgian Parliament Mr. Matt Bryza who is quite familiar with the Georgian reality and very well aware of the challenges that Georgia is facing. Today and during my visit in the United States I had an opportunity to discuss with Mr. Bryza the problems that are on Georgia’s agenda such as conflict regions and problematic relations as well as ongoing reforms in the country, the goal of Georgia’s integration into NATO, perspectives of Georgia’s integration in diversified energy projects. We’ve discussed all these issues once again today. I would like to thank the American side and Mr. Bryza personally for a very good cooperation and the support that we’ve always enjoyed from the United States and from Mr. Bryza. I would like to thank them for the desire to go deep into the roots of the issues that are sensitive for us and for their ability to view these processes objectively. Thank you. I would like give the floor to Matt.
DAS Bryza: Thank you, Madam speaker. Every time I have a chance to meet with you it’s exciting. It’s such an honor. You are one of the great leaders of this region. And I wish everybody gathered here today could see the reaction in Washington when Madame Speaker is visiting us. How effectively she explains Georgia’s position, builds strength for Georgia in Washington as well as in Europe, and how quickly all the doors open to her in Washington because of who she is, her integrity and her effectiveness as a leader. That’s a way of saying her visit to Washington was very successful. We’re also grateful for the success, if it’s appropriate to say that, in Madam Speaker’s leading the Parliament to vote 160 to nothing for a resolution underscoring Georgia’s aspirations to join NATO. As a felt yesterday in our meeting with Ambassador Tefft and the Embassy Team and opposition leaders of Parliament, it’s clear that the entire Parliament is unified in pursuing a goal that I would say the United States and Georgia share, which is Georgia’s membership, at the right time, in NATO.
And our point in the United States Government is that the right time should be defined by Georgia, not by anybody else but by Georgia. The right time for Georgian membership in NATO is when Georgia has completed all of its reforms: judicial reforms, democratic reforms, military reforms and has continued what it’s been doing for several months now, which is pursuing a constructive and peaceful approach to solving the separatist conflicts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia within Georgia. Every member of NATO must agree that Georgia should join the alliance if Georgia is to become a NATO member. No country that’s not a member of NATO has any say over Georgia’s future in the alliance. So Georgia’s membership in NATO depends on Georgia’s own performance.
Finally, the last thing I’d like to say is on energy, as Madam Speaker mentioned. There is growing momentum in large-scale gas production in Azerbaijan, moving through Georgia and into Turkey and the rest of Europe, that is changing the strategic map. President Aliyev made a dramatic decision this winter not to buy Russian gas but to depend on Azerbaijan’s gas to help Azerbaijan and to help Georgia. President Saakashvili’s personal diplomacy with President Aliyev was crucial to making this happen. And now the diplomacy of Madam Speaker and President Saakashvili with distant neighbors in Turkmenistan promises to open up a whole new generation of huge natural gas infrastructure projects that will help Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and the rest of Southeastern Europe diversify its energy supplies. So thank you very much for letting me be here.
Question: Can you comment about the intensive engagement of the United States and Georgia?
DAS Bryza: I would only add that the reason we [Georgia and the U.S.] have intensive engagement is twofold. We are close friends, our countries and our persons. Number two, the issues that we’re working on are extremely complicated and the environment is always changing. Every time we do something together the environment changes and we need to assess where we are. And it’s a very positive sign that we coordinate so closely together.
Question: Did you discuss President Saakashvili’s new initiative to place an administrative unit in South Ossetia?
Speaker Burjanadze: Naturally, we’ve discussed this very serious initiative launched by the President. We are reviewing thoroughly the details of the initiative. It is our big hope that this very serious peace initiative will get resonance not only amongst our American friends, but European friends as well. This initiative opens a new serious opportunity for additional peaceful initiatives to intensify the process. This is our position and we will be working on this issue.
DAS Bryza: Of course we discussed this issue [of South Ossetia and Abkhazia]. There are few issues as important in U.S.-Georgia relations as how these conflicts are solved peacefully within Georgia’s internationally recognized borders. For a few years we have urged our friends in the Georgian government to reach out to everybody in South Ossetia, all the residents, in a constructive way, to make the rest of Georgia as attractive a common home as possible. And based on what I’ve heard from Madam Speaker, from Minister Merabishvili, from President Saakashvili, and from Prime Minister Noghaideli (not in any particular order), I hear that that approach that we have suggested is what’s happening, is what’s being implemented now. To use positive incentives: cultural, economic, political, jobs, to bring everybody closer together; all South Ossetians and all residents of Georgia. That’s the only long-term way to resolve any conflict peacefully.
Speaker Burjanadze: I would like to emphasize that we stand ready to talk with all parties willing to be engaged in the peace process, with all the parties ready to work for the peaceful settlement of the conflicts. We will not ignore any party committed to cooperate and defend interests of Georgian, Abkhazian and Ossetian people within Georgia’s territorial integrity. Mr. Bryza, thank you once again. I would like to reemphasize that American friends are and always will be desired guests in Georgia.
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