PM Kobakhidze calls on US State Department to condemn ‘coup attempt’

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has called on the US State Department to “unequivocally condemn the attempted overthrow of Georgia’s government”, saying such a move would demonstrate that Washington did not support instability in the country.

Speaking at a government briefing on Wednesday, Kobakhidze urged the State Department to prove it acted in line with “the objective interests of the American people” rather than under the influence of what he called the “deep state.”

“If they wish to prove that they have no interest in provoking unrest or attempting to overthrow the government, they must show it through concrete steps. The first such step would be a clear condemnation of the attempted coup by the U.S. State Department,” the Prime Minister said.

Kobakhidze referenced what he described as “ambiguous past statements” from Washington, suggesting that the State Department had previously issued “generalized comments” instead of taking a clear stance in support of Georgia’s elected authorities.

“Even Tina Bokuchava [the UNM opposition chair] condemned the attempted overthrow of the government. Why can’t the European Union or the US State Department do the same?” he asked.

According to Kobakhidze, the Georgian government had shared confidential information with US officials regarding the alleged funding of extremist groups and was awaiting a response.

“We have shared specific information in closed format with our American colleagues and expressed our concerns about suspicious funding of certain extremist groups. We are waiting for their reaction,” he said.

Kobakhidze added that a public and explicit condemnation of the attempted overthrow would be “the clearest proof for the Georgian people that the United States does not seek to fuel unrest in the country.”