Liam Fox reaffirmed military ties between the UK and Georgia during his visit.

TBILISI, DFWatch – British conservative politician Liam Fox calls the administrative border around the Tskhinvali region ‘the occupation line between Free Georgia and Occupied Georgia.’

The MP for North Somerset and former Secretary of State for Defense was visiting the border border area when he made the comment January 9.

During his stay in Georgia, Fox has met defense minister Bacho Akhalaia and discussed Georgia’s participation in the ISAF operation, security conditions in the region and what Fox calls the threats of Iran’s nuclear program.

“First of all, as a former Secretary of State for Defense I am given the opportunity on this meeting to thank the Georgian government for participating in the Afghanistan mission through the defense minister. Georgia’s contribution is valued by the United Kingdom as well as by the whole ISAF mission.“

„We discussed the situation in Afghanistan and how to react to the violence there. We discussed the situation in Iran, the dangers of the nuclear program and instability in the region, which of course impacts not only the region, but on the larger global picture.” Fox said.

According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, the main direction of the cooperation with Great Britain is the education sphere. Georgian instructors for international peacekeeping operations are trained every year at the military academy in the city of Vishkovo (Czech Republic) within the program of BMATT (British Military Advisory Training Team). Britain has sent a security and defense advisor to the Ministry of defense in Georgia.

“Mr. Fox is very good friend of Georgia. We have exchanged a large number of issues mainly regarding the defense sphere. We receive important support – political as well as in some other directions – from Great Britain,” Akhalaia said.

Liam Fox will also meet with the Interior Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister and the National Security Council Secretary.