The United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel paid a two-day official visit to Georgia. Georgian Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania hosted his US counterpart, reports GHN based on the Ministry of Defense.
An official welcome ceremony was held in the Ministry of Defense. The MoD military brass band performed Georgian and American state anthems. After finishing an official reception, a meeting will be held between Minister Irakli Alasania and Secretary Chuck Hagel. Chief of the General Staff of GAF Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze, Deputy Defense Minister Mikheil Darchiashvili, DoD high-ranking officials, the United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia Mr. Richard Norland and other officials will attend the meeting. Later on Minister Alasania and Secretary Chuck Hagel will make statements for media representatives. Today, the meetings are also planned with the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvi. The US DoD representatives will lay the wreath on the memorial of heroes who fell in the fight for the unity of Georgia. Within the official visit to Georgia, Secretary Chuck Hagel will meet the US Marine Corps and Georgian military in the National Training Centre "Krtsanisi and will make address for them. The two-day official visit of the US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in Georgia will end tomorrow.