Key opposition figures have hailed talks with visiting U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza as “very important.” They have given an opportunity for both side, they said, to exchange opinions on ongoing developments in Georgia.

Matthew Bryza, who is paying a working visit to Georgia on March 29-30, met with those opposition parties, which are represented in the Parliament.

“We can only welcome the fact that assessments made by the United States about developments in Georgia are becoming more and more realistic. They [the American side] remain friends of Georgia, but judging from their rhetoric, it has become clearer that they are better studying the problems here. More issues and initiative coming from the [Georgian] authorities are becoming matters for discussion, rather than unconditional support,” Davit Usupashvili, leader of the Republican Party, said after the meeting.

The leader of the Industrialist Party, and beer magnate, Gogi Topadze, said that he had tried to focus the discussions on problems pertaining to property rights. “We want the United States to recognise the many undemocratic facets which exist in Georgia,” he added.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Mathew Bryza said that “a broad range of issues” including democratic reform, secessionist conflicts and U.S.-Georgian cooperation were discussed.

Judicial reform, he said, was also raised, “but it would not be appropriate to go into any details here.”

Speaking about the secessionist conflicts, Bryza noted: “The Georgian government has demonstrated a constructive approach and presented a plan about a year and a half ago, which we think is promising and we think it is time for the sides to have discussions that are constructive in which both sides, in addition to Georgians, are presenting viable ways forward. What the OSCE has done with the economic assistance is a step forward; helps stabilize and increase the international community’s presence in South Ossetia; we need more of that.”
 
During his two-day visit the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs also plans to hold talks with both the president and prime minister, as well as with leaders of the parliamentary majority.

The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi said the purpose of the visit was to discuss issues relating to Georgia's democratic reforms, the peaceful resolution of the separatist conflicts, Euro-Atlantic integration and ongoing development in the energy sector and Georgian economy.