Georgia government survives confidence vote, appoints first female defense minister

By Margarita Antidze TBILISI (Reuters) - Georgia's government won a confidence vote in parliament on Friday, called after Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili was forced to reshuffle his cabinet following a series of resignations over the past year. The new cabinet includes the former Soviet republic's first female defense minister, Tina Khidasheli, 41, a former lawmaker from the ruling coalition and the third minister to hold the portfolio since July. President Georgy Margvelashvili, who has warned that Russia poses a threat to regional security, complained last week about too frequent changes of defense ministers. Garibashvili, who has been more reluctant than the president to criticize Russia, told parliament on Friday that the country's pro-Western course was irreversible.

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