U.S. diplomats will meet with Georgian civil society representatives in Batumi on Monday to discuss democratic reforms ahead of U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission session, which will be opened by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on June 5.

Diplomats from the U.S. Department of State, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Eric Rubin, as well as U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John R. Bass will meet with the Georgian civil society representatives at USAID-funded Center for Civic Engagement in Batumi.

“During the roundtable meeting, the group will discuss the election environment in Georgia, transparency and accountability in government and the judiciary, inter-ethnic issues, and challenges facing civil society, media and labor unions,” the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi said in a press release.

Democracy is one of four priority areas of cooperation defined by the U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Charter, which was signed in January, 2009. Other priority areas are security, economic and people-to-people relations. 

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will arrive in Georgia’s Black Sea resort of Batumi late on Monday from Armenia and will hold talks with the Georgian leadership, civil society and opposition representatives on June 5 before heading to Azerbaijan.