Georgia-USA Cooperation Charter causes constrained emotions in Georgian politicians

Most of Georgian political parties has welcomed signing the Georgia-USA Strategic Partnership Charter, however, they have warned the society against increased expectations from the document, and also expressed discontent with the non-transparent procedure of its drafting and adoption.

The Strategic Partnership Charter was signed on January 9 in Washington by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Grigol Vashadze and US State Secretary of USA Condoleezza Rice.

Positive assessments of the signed document were made by Tina Khidasheli, representative of the Republican Party of Georgia, Deputy Petre Mamradze, representative of the new party "Movement for Fair Georgia" headed by former prime minister Zurab Nogaideli, and Georgiy Targamadze, leader of Christian Democrats.

Pikriya Chikhradze, representative of the oppositional party "New Right-Wingers", has stated that signing of the Charter was a good event from the viewpoint of the state prospects; however, she has added: "I don't want the Georgian society to have exaggerated expectations as regards this Charter, and that the salvation is only in this document."

Salome Zurabishvili, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and leader of the oppositional party "Georgia's Way", has also belittled the value of the document, but added that conclusion of the agreement with the resigning US administration will have no practical consequences, as the "Georgia-Online" reports.

The only political force that has not supported the signing of the Charter is the Labour Party, which has stated that the document transforms Georgia "into the epicentre of open military aggression between the mega-states."