Friday, December 5, 2025

A critical time of choice for Georgia

Dear Amb. Yalowitz, I am writing to thank you for your compelling editorial in “Democracy and Freedom Watch” in which you rightly warn that my country is at a critical crossroads with upcoming parliamentary elections.  I too share your concern that free, fair and transparent elections are being threatened by an increasingly authoritarian rule by … Read more

Democracy, National Interests, Idealism and Realpolitik

Saakashvili is meeting Obama on January 30. The agenda announced on the White House webpage names issues such as: 20 years of diplomatic relations, the U.S. – Georgia Charter, Georgia’s contribution to operations in Afghanistan, U.S. support for Georgia’s territorial integrity, and upcoming elections, writes Giorgi Margvelashvili, rector of Georgian Institute of Public Affairs. The … Read more

The United States and Georgia: Freedom is in the Interest of Both

When President Obama sits down with his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili on Monday, the conversation they have will take but a small part of the busy and beleaguered American leader’s day, but could have far reaching consequences for Georgia, writes Irakli Alasania, leader of the Free Democrats Party and Georgia’s former United Nations ambassador. It … Read more

Will election year work as a reset button for Georgian democracy?

Two presidents that came to power under the sign of change meet January 30th. Below are some thoughts elicited by my friend Ambassador K.S. Yalowitz’s letter, writes George Khutsishvili, director of the International Center on Conflict and Negotiation. We live in the election year 2012, and I belong to those who believe change is needed, … Read more

Saakashvili to also meet Biden and Boehner

TBILISI, DFWatch – The Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili plans to meet other top people while he’s over to talk with President Obama, including the Vice President and the House Speaker. While in Washington, President Saakashvili will have meetings with other top people both in the U.S.’s legislative and executive branch, including Vice President Joe Biden … Read more

What will be on agenda of Saakashvili's Washington meeting?

It is very fitting and important that Presidents Obama and Saakashvili meet in Washington on January 30, writes Kenneth S. Yalowitz, former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Georgia and this is an excellent time to reflect on the many … Read more

International crisis topic when Obama meets Saakashvili

TBILISI, DFWatch – One of the topics of Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili and U.S. president Barack Obama’s January 30 meeting will be ways of responding to international security challenges. It’s the Georgian president’s administration which writes this in a press release Wednesday. Saakashvili and Obama have met several times before, but this will be the … Read more

Obama to discuss fall election with Saakashvili

TBILISI, DFWatch – U.S. president Barack Obama will host his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili in the Oval Office on January 30 to discuss the upcoming parliamentary election in Georgia, expected in October. They will discuss democratic reforms that will ensure that Georgia is a vibrant and stable democratic state. Other topics will be the issue … Read more