Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

Georgian government has assured the U.S. to hold presidential election in accordance with the highest international standards, Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze told Georgian journalists in Washington after meeting with Deputy Secretary of State Williams Burns.

The 2013 presidential election in Georgia is scheduled for October 27. This will be the 6th presidential election after the country's declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The last one, held on January 5, 2008, resulted in the election of incumbent President Mikheil Saakashvili for his second and final presidential term. According to the constitution, Saakashvili cannot run for a third consecutive term.

Georgia's Central Election Commission has already registered 21 candidates for presidency. These seven candidates are Mikheil Saluashvili, Tariel Khvedelidze, Nestan Kirtadze, Giorgi Gakhokia, Shalva Natelashvili, Mamuka Chokhonelidze, Nikoloz Gorgijanidze, Giorgi Targamadze, Sergo Javakhidze, Giorgi Chikhladze, Merab Gorgadze, Giorgi Liluashvili, Gia Chkhikvadze, Levan Chachua, Merab Suliashvili, Besik Adamia, Avtandil Margiani, Avtandil Pilauri, Avtandil Ioseliani, Mamuka Melikishvili and Nugzar Avaliani.

Upon the inauguration of a new president in 2013, a series of constitutional amendments passed in the parliament of Georgia from 2010 to 2013 will go into effect. The amendments envisage significant reduction of the President's powers in favor of the Prime Minister.

According to Panjikidze, Burns expressed U.S. support for Georgia's integration into European structures and NATO integration.

The sides further discussed the U.S.-Georgian bilateral relations, cooperation in the international format, as well as the ongoing work of the Charter on Strategic Partnership.

Georgian delegation informed the Deputy Secretary on the reforms undertaken by the new Georgian government.

Panjikidze further said that they have also talked about Georgian-Russian relations. The Georgian side informed Burns about the process of establishing the barbed wire on the border of the breakaway region.

Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia after their August 2008 war over the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia lost one-fifth of its territory after the two republics broke away. Tbilisi announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.

In his turn, Burns, reiterated U.S. support for Georgia's territorial integrity. He thanked Georgia for its participation in the ISAF operation and said Georgia's contribution to global security.

Accession to NATO is one of the top foreign policy priorities of Georgia. Soon after the declaration of independence, Georgia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Georgia's practical bilateral relations with NATO were established in 1994 when the country joined the Partnership for Peace program (PfP). At the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in 2006 it was decided to launch Intensified Dialogue on Membership Issues with the South Caucasus republic.

Georgia as a significant contributor to Euro-Atlantic security is actively involved in NATO-led operations and its contribution to the NATO-led ISAF operation in Afghanistan is of significant importance. Nowadays, Georgia is the second largest troop contributor to Afghanistan among the non-NATO states.

The Georgian delegation led by Panjikidze and the chief prosecutor Archil Kbilashvili have held official meetings in the United States since July 16.

Meetings were held with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard McKeon, Republican Senators John McCain, Marco Rubio, Ron Johnson, Roger Wicker, as well as with Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein, Ben Cardin and Christopher Murphy and others, civil.ge website reported.

Panjikidze and MP Onoprishvili, who chairs parliamentary committee of finance and budget, also met ambassador Miriam Sapiro, the Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. Possible free trade agreement between the U.S. and Georgia and deepening trade ties between the two countries was discussed, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry.