“There needs to be an understanding of not just of the Black Sea but how the Black Sea links up with Central Asia and Asia. We’re starting to see that as we are all looking at alternatives to Northern Corridor and the really important role that Georgia can play in that. A huge opportunity for this country” – The US Ambassador Kelly Degnan elaborated on Georgia’s Black Sea Strategy during the Tbilisi International Conference 2022.
The Ambassador believes that that opportunity needs to be developed even as other challenges on other fronts are being worked and waged, because that’s going to be part of Georgia’s security and stability, too.
“When it [Georgia] becomes an essential throughway for Central Asia whether it’s energy or goods, it will involve collaboration with Azerbaijan, with Central Asian states, with how the Caspian Sea is used in global trade and transport as well as linking all those up to Europe and of course, it’s not only energy and transport that flow through those corridors – it’s ideas; it’s relationships, it’s networking and all of that is part of anchoring Georgia in that role between Europe and Central Asia” – Kelly Degnan said.
According to the Ambassador, anything that is anchoring Georgia more with its European neighbors and Europe at large is very positive and very strong. “We were fortunate to have a bipartisan visit by Senator Shaheen and Senator Portman a year ago and we’ve had other congressional delegations come despite COVID to demonstrate the concern about the democratic tensions here in depolarization, but also to demonstrate deep and continuing support of the US at every level: Congress, the White House, the State Department, the public, academics, people who know and love this country and are deeply invested in its success” – Kelly Degnan said.
According to the Ambassador, part of that is developing Georgia’s role not just in the South Caucasus but in the broader region – Black Sea, Caspian, Europe and Euro-Atlantic.
https://bm.ge/en/article/george-w-bushs-message-to-georgia/115918/
https://bm.ge/en/article/thats-going-to-be-a-tough-nut-to-crack-ed-chow-on-oil-shock-economic-sanctions-and-more/115937/
