The US Embassy in Georgia responds to Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili's statement regarding the US bases.

Salome Zurabishvili said in an interview with VOA that she recommended against hosting a U.S. military base on Georgian soil.

‘We are aware of the President’s personal comments on this issue; We are proud of our defense and security partnership with Georgia and consider it well designed in its current form to advance our shared goals. This long-standing and strong military and security partnership includes substantial military training cooperation, ship visits, and joint military exercises to support Georgian security. Georgian forces bravely serve shoulder to shoulder with U.S. forces in Afghanistan.   Our partnership strengthens Georgia’s interoperability with NATO forces, its capacity to contribute to regional and international security, and its readiness to defend its sovereign territory,’ the Accent was told by the Press and Information Attaché of the US Embassy.

Asked by VOA whether President Zurabishvili was open to hosting a U.S. military base on Georgian soil, however, she was doubtful.

"I don't think that it would be recommended. We don't need to take steps that might be viewed as provocations, and I don't think that the United States would be ready for having here a military base that would attract probably reactions both from Russia and from these ... terrorist movements that are very active in the region,” Zurabishvili told VOA.