U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Jim O'Brien's principal deputy, Yuri Kim, discussed recent developments in Georgia. He addressed the adoption of the Russian Law by the ruling Georgian Dream government, the spread of false information about the United States, and the warming of relations with Russia and China.
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"Countries that are democracies, as Georgia is, are obligated to listen to their people. And their people have been consistent and overwhelming in saying that they want to be with Europe - not just in terms of integrating the economy, but institutional cultural values, the way they govern. And so, I think the law that Georgians just passed on foreign agents is exactly the wrong thing to do," she said. "We're talking about a law that essentially mimics what the Kremlin... It's such a bad law," Yuri Kim said.
The diplomat described the recent events in Georgia as "heartbreaking," noting that Georgia was once a favorite in the region - "used to be the golden child of the region." "And now we have a situation in which our affinity and our connection with the Georgian people remains as close as ever, but the relationship with the 'Georgian Dream' is not what we would wish it to be - even if as hard as we have tried." The Deputy Assistant Secretary of State highlighted that part of the issue is the fact that the Georgian Dream has purposefully spread "Fake News":
"When you claim that the United States wants to open up a second front, in Georgia - that is fake news! When you claim that the American ambassador, the personal representative of the American President, is somehow running a rogue operation, to implement a coup against the elected government of a friendly country like Georgia - again, fake news!!! When you claim that there is 'a global war party' that wants to harm Georgia - fake news!"
Yuri Kim stated that the Georgian Dream government can't have it both ways: "You can't claim that you represent your people, and you want a future in Europe, and a strong relationship with the United States, and then do things that your people and your friends have pointed out to you are exactly what Russia does, and what Russia wants. This is nuts, especially when 20% of the country is occupied by Russia".
Kim also addressed the Georgian government's increasingly warm relations with China and Russia. Regarding Russia, she remarked, "I'm not sure it's real smart to try to be friends with the country that is occupying your sovereign territory". On the subject of relations with China, Yuri Kim stated:
"Consider the fact that plenty of reports out there about the way in which the People's Republic of China uses technology, uses loans, debt traps, uses its involvement in infrastructure projects to create dependencies that ultimately do not benefit the local people and, in fact, harm them. Ask the people of Montenegro what it was like to get into a debt trap. Ask Sri Lanka. The list goes on and on. Ask the neighbors in the region, what it's like to have a close relationship with China.”
Based on information from Alex Raufoglu, the Washington correspondent for the Azerbaijani publication Turan, Yuri Kim made these statements at an event hosted by the Carnegie Foundation in Washington.
