The U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, on Friday, said, “most Georgians would rather hear that Russia was withdrawing its troops from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, and finally complying with its obligations under the 2008 treaty – rather than direct flights.”

Degnan said he was not aware that “Georgians living in Moscow are having trouble returning to Georgia if they want to, but we certainly know there are many, many Russians who are coming into this country.”

“Well, as I’ve been learning Georgian history, I have seen that it is centuries of broken promises by Russia in Russia’s attempt to deny Georgia its identity, its language, its independence, its sovereignty. I think most Georgians would rather hear that Russia was withdrawing its troops from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, and finally complying with its obligations under the 2008 treaty – rather than direct flights. I’m not aware that Georgians living in Moscow are having trouble returning to Georgia if they want to, but we certainly know there are many, many Russians who are coming into this country,” she asserted.

The Ambassador noted that the U.S. is working with the Georgian authorities, the border police, customs, the government in many areas to help ensure Georgia has the capacity to comply with international sanctions.

“On your second question – we are working with the Georgian authorities, with the border police, with customs, with the government in many areas to help ensure Georgia has the capacity to comply with international sanctions. The opportunity for Georgia to be a middle corridor for goods flowing from Central Asia to Europe is a tremendous opportunity [for Georgia], that the United States, very much supports. And we are looking to partner with Georgia to ensure that in building Georgia’s contributions to that middle corridor, it also has the capacity to ensure that international sanctions, across the board, are complied with and we will continue to offer to partner with Georgia in any of those sectors that Georgia would like. Thank you very much,” she stated.