(14 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tbilisi – 14 May 2024
1. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, James O’Brien, arriving for news conference
2. SOUNDBITE (English) James O’Brien, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe:
++CONTAINS GEORGIAN TRANSLATION++
"(It’s) in our interest is in seeing Georgia converge with European Union and transatlantic norms for addressing issues like transparency. ++WAITING FOR GEORGIAN TRANSLATION++
And frankly, we think neither the process nor the actual law implemented meets that standard. And we hope to have more discussions to see any step on transparency matching European norms as Georgia goes forward."
3. SOUNDBITE (English) James O’Brien, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe:
"We were promised that there would be the opportunity for this before the law is implemented. And I was very clear that there would be consequences if the law were implemented as it now stands."
4. Media
5. SOUNDBITE (English) James O’Brien, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe:
"If there are going to be demonstrations, we want them to be peaceful and we want the police presence to be peaceful. We want there to be no intimidation of the protesters or others, either at the demonstration or at their homes or against their property, as has happened in recent days. The people responsible for that intimidation should be found and prosecuted. "
6. News conference
7. SOUNDBITE (English) James O’Brien, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe:
"If the law goes forward without conforming to EU norms. And this kind of rhetoric and, and, and aspersions against the U.S. and other partners continue, I think the relationship is at risk."
8. Journalists listening
9. SOUNDBITE (English) James O’Brien, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe:
"Just a few examples. The U.S. has about $390 million in assistance that we are planning to spend with Georgian authorities, half on military assistance. A little more, about another third, roughly on economic development projects, and more on building institutions, along with some for civil society. All that has to be under review if we are now regarded as an adversary and not a partner. "
10. Cameramen
11. SOUNDBITE (English) James O’Brien, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe:
"If the law goes forward out of conformity with EU norms, and there’s undermining of democracy here and there’s violence against peaceful protesters, peaceful protesters, then we will see restrictions coming from the United States. Those tend to be financial and travel restrictions on the individuals responsible for those actions and their families."
9. News conference
STORYLINE:
A U.S. diplomat warned Georgian authorities about possible sanctions on Tuesday following parliament’s adoption of the law on foreign Influence.
There would be "consequences if the law were implemented as it now stands," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe James O’Brien told journalists in the capital Tbilisi.
"If the law goes forward out of conformity with EU norms, and there’s undermining of democracy here and there’s violence against peaceful protesters, then we will see restrictions coming from the United States," he said.
He said the restrictions "tend to be financial and travel restrictions on the individuals responsible for those actions and their families."
The bill requires media and nongovernmental organizations and other nonprofit groups to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
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