US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin believes Georgia continues to make progress in terms of military reform and capabilities.
“I had an excellent brief with the leadership this afternoon, and it was really helpful to see things through their eyes and talk to them about some of the things they’re working on to improve. And I think the initiative, the MOU that we just signed will help us to continue along the path of improving the Georgian MOD and the Georgian Defense Forces, and also give them the additional capability to train their forces, and to also write doctrine and promulgate doctrine,” Lloyd Austin stated.
As to democracy, Secretary Austin claims the United States has always been a strong supporter of Georgia’s democratic development since independence, “and we consistently seek to strengthen its democratic institutions. Our embassy noted some problems with the recent elections, but we also expressed confidence in Georgia’s ability to improve as time goes forward.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Georgia today as part of his trip to Europe ahead of NATO Defense Ministerial.
