US Secretary of State Rubio says Georgian Gov’t has taken steps indicating desire to improve ties with US

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the Georgian Government has taken a number of steps indicating a desire to improve relations with the United States, expressing hope that the two countries can build on those efforts and achieve progress.

Speaking before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Rubio made the remarks in response to a question from Congressman Joe Wilson concerning Georgia's political direction and its relationship with Washington.

Rubio said US officials have communicated to the Georgian authorities what actions would be necessary to improve bilateral ties and have received what he described as some positive responses.

"...our hope is that we can see a change of trajectory in the case of Georgia from where it is today [...] They have asked us, ‘What will it take to have a better relationship with the United States?’ We have responded, and hopefully, we can build on that basis and, and perhaps change the trajectory, not just of our relationship with Georgia, but of their behavior," Rubio stated.

The comments came after Wilson raised concerns about Georgia during the Committee hearing, alleging democratic backsliding and claiming that the country’s current leadership poses challenges to US interests in the South Caucasus.

Wilson argued that the region has gained increased strategic importance amid efforts to strengthen cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan and broader US engagement in the South Caucasus. He asked what steps Washington should take in response to “growing radicalisation” under the Georgian Dream Government.

In his response, Rubio acknowledged that the issues raised by Wilson were already matters of concern for the United States but stressed that recent signals from the Georgian authorities suggested an interest in improving relations with Washington.