US to halve financial aid to Georgia

The US intends to almost halve its current level of financial aid to Georgia. As a Rosbalt correspondent was informed by the Georgian government, this was announced to Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze yesterday by Thomas Adams, head of the bureau of European affairs in the US State Department., who is currently visiting Tbilisi.

He said the US is extremely unhappy about the poor economic development in Georgia and the high level of corruption. At a press conference after the meeting with Mr Shevardnadze Mr Adams said that 'out of the 27 countries which are being supported financially by the State Department, Georgia holds last place for its level of economic growth. However, Washington would like Georgia to become a country which cares about its citizens,' he stressed.

Mr Adams was especially critical of Georgian corruption and called on the government to 'fight harder against this evil. Parliament should let the government know that it is unwilling to tolerate the current level of corruption,' he said.