US warns Georgia of becoming 'avenue' for Russian sanctions evasion
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Sullivan discusses with Georgia's President the latest developments in her country following the protests instigated by the "Foreign Agents" bill.
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US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (AP)
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili discussed during a meeting on Friday the recent developments in Georgia triggered over a proposed foreign agents bill that drew controversy among non-governmental organizations and activists, according to White House National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said.
"Mr. Sullivan met this morning with the President of Georgia," said the National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. "They did have a chance to discuss recent developments there, including these protests against controversial legislation, and they also discussed our shared strong concerns that this legislation would have a chilling effect and impede the important efforts of hundreds of Georgians, Georgian NGOs that are working to improve the community."
Washington "welcomed the government’s recent decision to withdraw the two draft laws," Kirby added.
Read more: US welcomes withdrawal of Georgia draft law on 'foreign influence'
The Spokesperson also stated that the Biden administration will assist Georgia in "achieving the reforms necessary" to advance its application for the European Union membership.
A White House statement later said that Sullivan and Zourabichvili also discussed the Western sanctions targeting Russia and the importance of maintaining them to "ensure Russia continues to feel the full economic costs of the sanctions, export controls, and other economic restrictions."
However, Sullivan warned that Georgia must avoid becoming "an avenue for evasion or backfill," by Moscow to circumvent sanctions, the White House added.
Double standards
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that the United States has had a law since 1938, mandating the registration of entities lobbying foreign interests.
Zakharova wrote on Telegram that "it is now clear why the US is still not in the EU. This law [on foreign agents] has been in effect since 1938."
The United States Foreign Agents Registration Act, enacted in 1938, requires any individual or entity who becomes an "agent of a foreign principal" to disclose their affiliations, related activities, and finances, with penalties for violations.
Some background
In a first reading vote on Tuesday, the Georgian parliament approved a law on the transparency of foreign influence 76 to 13. The statute calls for compiling a list of people and organizations that receive funding from overseas.
This sparked widespread protests and concerns among the opposition, who are concerned that it will allow the government to suppress the work of NGOs and activists in the country.
Protesters were seen outside waving EU flags, which Georgia applied to join in March 2022. US and Ukraine flags were also seen among the group of protesters.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in #Tbilisi to protest a new proposed bill that seeks to limit foreign influence in Georgian politics through NGOs.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 8, 2023
So what's happening in #Georgia? pic.twitter.com/OX340Orl63
US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said on Wednesday that the bill was "Kremlin-inspired".
On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the Georgian protesters for raising Ukrainian flags. "I want to thank everyone who has been holding Ukrainian flags in the squares and streets of Georgia these days," he said.
Meanwhile, the government maintained that this is intended to limit foreign meddling in Georgian politics.
Following two days of violent protests, the ruling Georgian Dream party announced its decision to withdraw the bill on "foreign agents" from the Parliament.
Despite meeting their demands on the withdrawal of the bill, protesters reaffirmed their resolve to continue fighting for what they described as Georgia's European identity.
Ukraine 2014 coup
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the recent riots in Tbilisi against disputed draft legislation on foreign influence mirror the 2014 Euromaidan coup in Ukraine, describing the European Union's stance on Georgia as "hypocritical".
"It resembles the Euromaidan coup in Kiev. Undoubtedly, a law on the registration of those non-governmental organizations that receive foreign funding in the amount of only 20% of their budget was just used as an excuse to start an attempt of a forceful change of power," Lavrov said.
