US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan made her first remarks regarding the content of the meeting with former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili in an interview with InterPressNews.
In the interview, Kelly Degnan claims that during the meeting with Bidzina Ivanishvili, they did not talk about involving Georgia in Russia’s war against Ukraine, or about “blackmail” or actions to stall the transfer of Mr. Ivanishvili’s money.
“We normally do not talk about our private meetings in the press, but as Mr. Ivanishvili has confirmed, I last met with him on March 21, which was some time ago. When Mr. Ivanishvili and I met, it was in the capacity of discussing the U.S.-Georgia partnership and the United States’ efforts to support Georgia’s economic, security, and democratic development. Let me be absolutely clear, so no one will have to ask again: there was never talk about involving Georgia in Russia’s war against Ukraine, or about “blackmail” or actions to stall the transfer of Mr. Ivanishvili’s money. I would refer you to him or the banks involved regarding questions on these topics.
When the United States imposes financial sanctions, we announce them publicly. There is a searchable list on the Treasury Department’s website where banks, media, and the general public can check who is and isn’t subject to financial sanctions. Any discussion of Swiss bank accounts is frankly a distraction from the important work at hand. As Mr. Ivanishvili noted in his July 27 statement, this is a private matter between him and his financial institution”, Kelly Degnan told InterPressNews.
