US warns Georgia about undermining bilateral relations

Statements by the Georgian authorities about the threat posed by the West undermine the long-standing relations between Washington and Tbilisi, the US Embassy in Georgia said.

"Statements that misrepresent foreign support in Georgia ... significantly undermine the strong relationship we have developed," TASS reports, citing state officials at the US diplomatic mission.

The embassy said the US has helped Georgia strengthen "democracy and the ability to deter Russian aggression" for 31 years, while the second reading of the foreign agents law and the Georgian authorities' anti-Western rhetoric are "inconsistent with democratic values" and could become an obstacle to Tbilisi's path to NATO and the European Union.

On the eve of the Parliament of Georgia adopted the law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" in the second reading. "Eighty-three MPs voted in favour and 23 against. The article-by-article discussion of the law lasted two days.

Earlier, the US Embassy in Georgia supported the protesters against the law on foreign agents.