The US Embassy in Georgia confirms that the Biden administration refused to hold meetings with the Georgian delegation and canceled the invitation of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to the reception.
“The Biden administration canceled Prime Minister Kobakhidze’s invitation to the annual reception of the UN General Assembly and refused to meet with the Georgian delegation due to the Georgian government’s anti-democratic actions, misinformation and negative rhetoric about the United States and the West,” the US embassy told “Netgazeti”.
On September 25, US President Joe Biden will host world leaders and high-ranking UN officials at a traditional reception in New York.
The Prime Minister of Georgia was also invited to the reception, although initially “Voice of America” reported on the cancellation of the invitation to Kobakhidze.
“Voice of America” writes, based on sources, that the US administration also refused all meetings with the Georgian delegation, and Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor of the White House, also refused to meet with Prime Minister Kobakhidze.
Before leaving for the UN General Assembly, Irakli Kobakhidze met with US Ambassador Robin Dunnigan in the government administration and expressed concern about the sanctions imposed by the US. Kobakhidze claimed that “with this decision, the American side approached a critical limit, which, in case of making another similar decision, might lead to a qualitative review of Georgia’s position towards Georgian-American relations”.
In May of this year, the honorary chairperson of “Georgian Dream” Bidzina Ivanishvili refused to meet the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien, who was visiting Georgia.
Related story: VOA: Georgian PM’s invitation to Biden’s traditional reception canceled