Saakashvili: US-Georgian Cooperation Moving to New Level

U.S.-Georgian military cooperation is rising to a new level, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said during an official visit to the United States, InterPressNews reports, citing the Georgian Rustavi-2 TV.

“We must understand that the decision has been reached to move military cooperation to a new level, putting more emphasis on defense. It is a continuation of the developments in Afghanistan,“ Saakashvili said at a press conference yesterday.

President Saakashvili visited Georgian Vice Col. Alexander Tugushi, recuperating in the military hospital of Bethesda in Maryland from wounds received during the operations in Afghanistan. The Georgian president awarded Tugushi with the First Class Vakhtang Gorgasali Order of Bravery.

Saakashvili said losses of Georgian officers in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan are a real tragedy, although their participation in operations provides invaluable experience for Georgia’s armed forces. He also noted that by participating in this peacekeeping mission, the Georgian army is becoming stronger.

“Georgia is our primary means of protection and defense. These guys fighting in Afghanistan are first and foremost doing it for Georgia. I am proud of the fact that the centuries of struggle with enemies failed to extinguish the fighting spirit of our warriors. It is this spirit that will save Georgia in the long run and will make it a strong and successful country,” Saakashvili said.