Tbilisi, Georgia, March 4
Trend:
Georgia wants to join NATO not to start a war between the alliance and Russia, but to complete it, the chairman of the Georgian Parliament David Usupashvili said at Georgetown University, Georgia Online reported.
Usupashvili discussed Georgia's foreign policy priorities, the country's desire to join the EU and NATO, threats coming from Russia and the lari devaluation, Georgia's office of Voice of America.
"The purpose of my visit to Washington is to convince the US partners that Georgia is a reliable partner," Usupashvili said.
Usupashvili discussed the Ukrainian conflict.
"This conflict is a continuation of the war of August 2008 in Georgia.
"Our position remains unchanged," he said. "Ukraine's events are a direct continuation of the incident in Georgia in August 2008. These are different components of the plan. We tell our friends that amid the horrific events in Ukraine, Russian aggression is underway in Georgia. This is a single process. We must confront it together."
Large-scale military action was launched between Georgia and Russia in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008.
Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.
Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August.
In response, Tbilisi ended diplomatic relations with Moscow and has called the two unrecognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.
Edited by CN