Gareth Ward is the British Ambassador in Georgia. He spoke about the UK’s concerns regarding the “democratic backsliding” and anti-Western rhetoric of the ruling party. The UK has also decided to suspend the new cybersecurity program and not hold Defense Staff discussions. In an interview published by Interpresnews on October 15, Ambassador Ward shared his thoughts.
The Ambassador noted that he had been optimistic about Georgia prior to his July appointment because of its “Euro-Atlantic Course and strong economic prospects.” He added: “I expected we would work together in order to increase Georgia’s resilience and our mutual prosper.
He stressed that he had to alter his views after his arrival because the Georgian government decided to pursue a new course. “…so, in my first month in Tbilisi, I focused on making our concerns about democratic backsliding clear and anti-Western rhetoric. I hope that the Georgian government will change its approach and allow me to return my optimistic vision.
The Ambassador stated that the UK-Georgian relationship has been damaged as have Georgia’s relationships with other Western countries. He said that London was “very worried” about Georgian Dream passing the Foreign Agents Law despite massive opposition, “shocked”, by GD’s Manifesto advocating a banning of opposition parties, and he was “disappointed” with the promotion conspiracy theories suggesting Western partners are “undermining Georgia.”
“For these reasons, the UK side has decided to freeze these talks for the first 10 years of our bilateral Wardrop Dialogue. We have not held the planned Defence Staff meetings, and we have paused any new cyber security programs. We hope that after the elections, whoever the Government is, we will see clear evidence of the return to the Euroatlantic track to rebuild trust and to return to a closer partnership,” said Ambassador Ward.
In 2014, the UK launched a format for strategic dialogue with Georgia named after Sir Oliver Wardrop, one of the UK’s first diplomats in Georgia. The format covers many areas of cooperation including foreign, defense, and security policy, as well economy and trade. Since 2014, eight Wardrop Dialogues have been held.
The Ambassador also discussed Georgia’s ambitions for joining NATO, highlighting that the UK has always supported Georgia’s NATO goals. “But NATO is both a military and a political alliance. The Georgian government must also show its commitment to an independent judiciary and free media. The NATO Secretary General expressed concerns about the Foreign Influence Law in the beginning of this year. “A trajectory towards NATO cannot be compatible with measures that undermine democracy and human right.”
In a statement focusing on the upcoming election, Ambassador Ward stated: “The Georgians should have the right of choosing their government in free, fair, and competitive elections. We will provide 50 observers to ensure the OSCE/ODHIR election monitoring mission has adequate resources, and we will also support several local election monitoring NGOs. They will play a key role in the upcoming elections, and should give the Georgians confidence that they can make their voice heard at a ballot box.”
Gareth Ward discussed the recent GD legislative initiatives. He reiterated his concern about the Agents’ Law, which “damages NGOs, free media, and stigmatizes those who do good for their communities.” Regarding the Anti-LGBTQ+ Propaganda law, he noted it “discriminates and restricts freedoms of expression.” Georgia, in my experience, is a tolerant country with a vibrant NGO community. These laws are against these trends as well as the common European values, such as those set forth by the Council of Europe.
The Daily Beat: Wednesday, 13 August
The Georgian Foreign Minister receives copies of the credentials of the new British ambassador
The Daily Beat: Saturday, 7 August
The Daily Beat: Tuesday, 10 June
The Daily Beat: Thursday, 4 June
Read More @ civil.ge