The US Embassy in Georgia on Wednesday confirmed that the Biden administration had refused to hold meetings with the Georgian delegation and had canceled the invitation of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to the UN General Assembly 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 hosted 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 then Voice of America reported on the cancellation of his invitation.
Voice of America writes, based on sources, that the US administration also refused all meetings with the Georgian delegation, and that Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor of the White House, also refused to meet with Prime Minister Kobakhidze.
During a meeting with Georgian journalists in New York, Kobakhidze labeled the situation as ‘not serious.’ He said the reception invitation had been sent three days prior, but was later revoked. He claimed the move was intended as support for Georgia’s opposition.
Before leaving for the UN General Assembly, Irakli Kobakhidze had 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 had reached a critical line, which, if continued, 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
