WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Georgia has been riven by violent clashes, civil disturbances and the secession of two regions that have become independent autonomous republics, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in the quarter century following the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
"The United States commended the progress made by Georgia in furthering its reform agenda," the statement said.
The SPC’s Democracy and Governance Working Group met on June 21 in Tbilisi to review progress on goals set at its November 2015 meeting in Washington, DC, the statement noted.
"Both sides affirmed the importance of strong, depoliticized government institutions and transparent and accountable governance."
The US and Georgian governments agreed that an open, pluralistic, and peaceful political environment was essential to make the October parliamentary elections a showcase of democratic progress, the statement added.
