My main message when meeting with high-ranking officials of the new US administration was that, 34 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations, we are not satisfied with the level of relations we currently have. Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said this in the interview with "Rustavi 2`s" program "Ghamis Kurieri" ["Night Courier"].

"Also, we expressed the position of our Government that we desire a strategic partnership with the US based on mutual benefit. This was my main message.

We discussed the reasons that led to the temporary suspension of strategic relations. However, I openly stated that we were not satisfied even with the quality of the previous strategic relations, because a strategic relationship does not mean only a formally established one - it must be loaded with substance.

When substance is missing from this relationship, it is difficult to speak of its strategic nature. The topic of conversation was to move to a new stage of relations and determine what that mutual benefit we should receive might be.

I have not heard that the US does not want strategic relations with Georgia. Nor have I heard a denial of the argument that this relationship should be mutually beneficial and filled with substance.

Consequently, I returned with an optimistic mood, believing that we can work in this direction and take concrete steps.

However, of course, this will not happen today or tomorrow, as it is a difficult working process, but the main thing is for the process to begin, and after that, an agreement will be reached on many issues", - said Nikoloz Samkharadze.