Expert: summoning Ambassador signals Georgia no longer considers UK a friendly state

Valeri Chechelashvili, Head of Political Research at the Strategic Analysis Center of Georgia, on Thursday said that the summoning of the United Kingdom’s ambassador to Georgia represented a diplomatic reprimand and indicated that the Georgian government no longer viewed the UK as a friendly country.

“This is a clear signal that the Georgian government does not consider the United Kingdom a friendly state, because summoning the ambassador in this manner takes the form of a demarche. It is essentially an attempt at a formal rebuke, stemming from the Georgian government’s dissatisfaction with certain actions by the UK,” Chechelashvili said.

He added that calling ambassadors from Germany, the UK, and other traditionally friendly countries - which have for decades supported Georgia’s sovereignty and economic development - was both a tragedy and a mistake.

The summoning of the UK ambassador followed the UK government’s sanctions against the Georgian TV channels Imedi and POSTV, prompting the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request explanations from the ambassador.