Outgoing US Ambassador won’t be among diplomats I would be friend – ruling party MP

Rati Ionatamishvili, the ruling Georgian Dream party MP, on Tuesday claimed he had had positive relations and “friendly communication” with some of former Ambassadors of the United States to Georgia, saying he was unlikely to “befriend” with the outgoing US Ambassador Kelly Degnan. 

 

“I had a very positive attitude towards her [Degnan] from the very first days, but unfortunately, she will not be among the Ambassadors with whom I will continue to be friends,” the MP said. 

 

Degnan has been the most criticized US Ambassador to Georgia by the Government, with the ruling party members accusing her of attempts to “drag Georgia” into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and sparking unrest to “overthrow” the current authorities. 

 

The diplomat has many times rejected the allegations as a “pro-Russian” narrative, saying in her latest interview for Radio Liberty that “politicians say what they have to say, even when they know they are not true”.