2018-09-11
As Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze emphasized at the Tbilisi International Conference organized by the McCain Institute and the Economic Policy Research Center, the US has been supporting Georgia since the restoration of independence, and under every successive Administration our relations reach new heights.
The Head of Government is convinced that the result-oriented cooperation with the US will continue.
"In the last two years with the Trump Administration, we pushed this relationship to the all-time high level, so it is really very important, especially in the field of security. It is in the best interest of the US, its national interest, to have a strong partner in this part of the world. We are absolutely sure that this very result-oriented cooperation will continue with the US, but we have gaps in other fields, like economy. Unfortunately, still the economic cooperation with US is not at a high level. We want more US companies in Georgia, because this low level of economic cooperation is not good. We need involvement in all other sectors. And cooperation in economy, I think, is very important. We are trying to make Georgia a regional business, economic, tourism hub. From my private sector experience, it is hard develop international business without direct flights, for example, and we are intensively working on that. We are looking for more comprehensive economic relations with the US. We have excellent political and security cooperation, but we need a good level of economic cooperation. From January 1, we are launching a new big reform to provide tax incentives to US and international companies to do business in Georgia. We are serving eight deadlocked countries in Eurasia, so it will be a good opportunity for American companies to start business in Georgia. We are trying to deepen our relations with the US in other fields, and economic cooperation can become another important cornerstone in Georgia-US strategic relations," Mamuka Bakhtadze pointed out.
Prime Minister's Press Office