U.S. Continues Firm Support to Expanding Ties with Georgia
The U.S. Congress initiated important resolutions and acts supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, recognizing the country’s progress in European and Trans-Atlantic integration processes, and calling to expand the partnership in economic and security fields. These resolutions and acts come after the unprecedented year of cooperation between the U.S. and Georgia. Since 2017, U.S. Congressional support to Georgia has been expanding.
On June 26, the Co-Chairman of the Georgia Caucus, U.S. Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX) and US Congressman Gerald Connolly (D-VA) introduced the bi-partisan Georgia Support Act H.R.6219. The act consists of provisions which reinforce and expand the unwavering support of the United States to Georgia and oppose the illegal Russian invasion and occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The bill calls for increased security assistance to Georgia to enhance the country’s deterrence, resilience, and self-defense. It requires the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to improve Georgia’s capabilities to combat Russian disinformation and propaganda campaigns. The act proposes sanctions on Russian actors in the occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia linked to serious human rights abuses. Additionally, the act addresses the US Trade Representative to take measures to start negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Georgia.
To further expand economic partnership between Georgia and the United States, a bi-partisan group of U.S. Congressmen composed a letter in June, addressing the US Trade Representative (USTR) to initiate negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with Georgia. This is an unprecedented request from Congress to elevate the Georgia-U.S. partnership to a whole new level. While urging the USTR to deepen dialogue on high-level trade and investments with Georgia, the letter emphasizes the critical role of Georgia as a gateway to the economy of eight landlocked Central Asian countries with a market of 120 million people. In addition to economic expansion with the US, the letter applauds Georgia’s democracy building progress and its vigorous integration process into European and Trans-Atlantic institutions, confirming strong support from the United States of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia.
The United States Congress also introduced H.Res. 955 in June affirming U.S. support to the nations of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova in their effort to retain political sovereignty and territorial integrity. The resolution urges the U.S. government, European allies, the United Nations, as well as other international partners of the United States to continue to pressure the government of the Russian Federation to uphold its international obligations. The initiation of the resolution coincided with the work visit to Washington of the chairmen of parliaments of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The resolution enhances cooperation between the United States and the nations of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, and calls for increased assistance to the Eastern European states in strengthening their capacity to resist the destabilizing activities of the Russian Federation, including in areas of defense and security. The bill opposes the Nord Stream II pipeline project in coordination with European allies, taking a mindful stance vis-a-vis the threat of this project to the security of Europe.
This year, the threat of Russia and its occupation of Georgian territories was again mentioned in the Consolidated Appropriations Act H.R.1625. Phrasing “Occupation of Georgian territories” in so-called Omnibus Act, first took place in the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2017 and was renewed this year. The 2018 Omnibus Act condemns the Russian Federation for its unlawful actions in Georgia. This act prevents the central governments of nation states that have recognized the independence of Russian occupied territories Abkhazia and South Ossetia from receiving foreign aid from the United States. The act was passed by President Trump in March 2018.
Additionally, the U.S. Senate passed its own version called the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 H.R.5515 NDAA which defines the policy and budgetary priorities of the US Department of Defense for the 2019 fiscal year. The 2019 NDAA refers to Georgia as a valuable friend and supports further Georgia-U.S. cooperation. The document outlines that the U.S. government should contribute robust security assistance for Georgia including lethal assistance, strengthening of defense capabilities and readiness of Georgia. The act calls for supporting Georgia in its quest to improve interoperability with NATO. The Senate once again affirms support for the open-door policy of NATO and calls on the U.S. Government to make full use of NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC).
These resolutions and acts imply the continuation of last year’s unprecedented high level of support from U.S. Congress to Georgia. In 2017, American legislators proposed and amended six notably important bills and resolutions, urging support of Georgia, and propose disciplinary measures including sanctions.
The Sanctions Act H.R. 3364 condemns aggressive actions of the Russian Federation in European and Eurasian countries including the recent and ongoing aggressive actions in Ukraine and Georgia. The law urges Russia to withdraw its forces from occupied territories and calls for open access to humanitarian aid and monitoring missions. The act also proposed a budget of 250 million dollars for the 2018–2019 fiscal year to be used against Russian influence in the EU and NATO member states. The fund will also be used for preventive measures against Russian actions in Georgia and Ukraine. President Trump signed the act into a law on August 2, 2017.
One of the most significant acts from 2017 was the Countering Russia Hostilities Act S.94 which holds bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate. The act is strict and critical towards Russia placing sanctions in response to Russia’s cyber-attacks and aggressive actions. The document prohibits U.S. governmental entities to hold any type of ventures with Russian occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which relates to de jure and de facto recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
On April 6, 2017, members of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) introduced bipartisan resolution H.Res.256 to express support for the countries of Eastern Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to the House of Representatives. The resolution emphasized strong support towards NATO members and Eastern European states. The resolution recognized NATO as the most significant player in security partnership between the United States and Europe and underlines distinct commitments of the United States towards Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova.
After an unprecedented year of U.S.-Georgia partnership, the support level in U.S. Congress towards Georgia has increased. The political and security cooperation between the two countries has never been better and the support of U.S. Congressmen toward a Free Trade Agreement between U.S. and Georgia is yet unparalleled in these bilateral relations.