Skip Links
U.S. Department of State
Hostages Rescued From FARC Captivity  |  Daily Press Briefing | What's NewU.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of State
SEARCHU.S. Department of State
Subject IndexBookmark and Share
U.S. Department of State
HomeHot Topics, press releases, publications, info for journalists, and morepassports, visas, hotline, business support, trade, and morecountry names, regions, embassies, and morestudy abroad, Fulbright, students, teachers, history, and moreforeign service, civil servants, interns, exammission, contact us, the Secretary, org chart, biographies, and more
Video
 You are in: Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs: Electronic Information and Publications Office > Photo Gallery > Photos by Regions and Topics > Europe and Eurasia > Georgia > Events 

U.S. Ambassador Richard Miles Signs Agreement Providing $5 Million for Pension Payments


Tbilisi, Georgia
December 23, 2003

On December 23, 2003, U.S. Ambassador Richard Miles and Georgian State Minister Zurab Zhvania signed an agreement permitting the payment of up to $5 million (GEL equivalent) for pensions. These funds were provided through the monetization of the wheat shipment donated by the U.S. Government. This shipment was arranged through the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the request of the Georgian Minister of Agriculture, David Kirvaladze, in September 2003. Georgia's leading TV stations - independent Rustavi 2, Imedi, Mze, Channel 9, Iberia, Kavkasia, and State TV Channel 1 covered the signing ceremony during their primetime newscasts. The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministers of Finance, Agriculture, and Health joined the State Minister representing the Georgian Government.

The agreement signed allowed the Georgian Government to use the wheat flour funds to pay pensions, making a dramatic and immediate difference in the everyday lives of pensioners who frequently do not receive their $7 monthly pension.

Ambassador Miles and State Minister Zurab Zhvania sign $5 million agreement. Photo courtesy U.S. Embassy Tbilisi, Georgia.

(Front row, left) Ambassador Miles and State Minister Zurab Zhvania sign $5 million agreement.

(Photo courtesy U.S. Embassy Tbilisi, Georgia, December 23, 2003.)


  Back to top

U.S. Department of State
USA.govU.S. Department of StateUpdates  |  Frequent Questions  |  Contact Us  |  Email this Page  |  Subject Index  |  Search
The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.
About state.gov  |  Privacy Notice  |  FOIA  |  Copyright Information  |  Other U.S. Government Information

Published by the U.S. Department of State Website at http://www.state.gov maintained by the Bureau of Public Affairs.