Senator Lugar attends groundbreaking, meets with government officials during visit to Tbilisi
U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, the head of the United States Foreign Relations committee, visited Tbilisi to hold consultations with Georgian Government officials on Monday, August 30th.
Senator Lugar met with various Georgian government officials, including Mr. Paata Imndaze, the Director of the National Center for Disease Control, who gave the Senator a tour of the facilities.
Senator Lugar, together with Minister of Defense Giorgi Baramidze, also participated in a groundbreaking ceremony of a future “reference laboratory.” Ambassador Miles and National Security Council Secretary Gela Bezhuashvili were among those witnessing the signing of a “plus-up” amendment. The amendment will increase funding from the U.S. for biological threat reduction and prevention from $15 million to $30 million by improving storage facilities and research labs working with biologically hazardous materials.
In addition to NSC Secretary Bezhuashivili and Minister of Defense Baramidze, the Senator Lugar met with Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze. After his meeting with the Speaker, Ms. Burjanadze and Senator Lugar held a joint press conference. The Speaker noted to the press that the Senator’s visit was yet another assertion of American support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and democratic development.
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