on 26 September 2011, a meeting was held in New York between the Georgian Foreign Minister, Mr. Grigol Vashadze, and the U.S. Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton. The meeting was also attended by the Secretary of the Georgian National Security Council, Mr. Giorgi Bokeria.

The parties to this meeting discussed a wide range of issues concerning bilateral relations, including the process of Georgia's integration into NATO and Georgia's significant contribution to the NATO-led peace operation in Afghanistan (ISAF). Mrs. Clinton expressed her government's gratitude for the fact that Georgia will soon become the largest non-NATO troop contributor to ISAF.

The Georgian Foreign Minister and the U.S. Secretary of State agreed that the next Omnibus Meeting at ministerial level of the U.S.-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership will be held in the coming months.

During the meeting, the Georgian delegation also provided the U.S. delegation with up-to-date information on the talks between Georgia and Russia regarding Moscow's bid to join the World Trade Organization, and underlined the fact that the Georgian government requires Russia to make serious concessions regarding fundamental issues as a necessary condition to achieving consensus over the Swiss proposal during the next round of the Geneva talks.

The Georgian delegation also informed the U.S. representatives of the Georgian government's preparations for the 2012 and 2013 elections in Georgia.

27 September 2011

Press and Information Department