Zurab Japaridze: Unrealistic to expect US action in Georgia similar to Venezuela

“If we unite our forces here and present a united front, we should expect stronger support from both the U.S. administration and Europe,” said Zurab Japaridze, leader of Girchi – More Freedom.

Japaridze was responding to a question about the U.S. Embassy in Georgia sharing a quote from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement, in which Rubio said: “In the 21st Century, under the Trump administration, we are not going to have a country like Venezuela in our own hemisphere, in the sphere of control and the crossroads for Hezbollah, for Iran and for every other malign influence in the country, in the world. That’s just not going to exist.”

According to Japaridze, the current U.S. administration’s policy toward the Caucasus and Georgia is focused primarily on its own hemisphere, and he says expectations should not be based on actions taken in contexts such as the U.S. operation in Venezuela.

“I am not sure that we should interpret this in the sense that because they acted against Maduro, we should expect a similar operation in Georgia. The current U.S. administration’s policy toward the Caucasus and Georgia is not like that. They are more focused on their own hemisphere and are addressing issues there. The expectation that they would do something similar here is not realistic,” Japaridze said.

He added that Georgia needs a different kind of support, which he believes can be achieved through greater domestic unity.

“We need a different type of support, but such support requires gathering our forces here. If we unite and have a united front, then we should expect increased support from both the U.S. administration and Europe,” Japaridze said.