New Level Of Partnership: NATO Warships Visit Georgian Port

Ministry of Defense of Georgia
September 9, 2013

NATO Marine Commandership’s Permanent Group 2 of Marine Sappers in Black Sea

Within the framework of the “Port Visit” NATO Marine Commandership’s permanent group of marine sappers including two German and one Turkish frigates entered Batumi port.

“Port Visit” is the first event in Georgia-NATO partnership history and it aims at NATO’s support to its partner country.

As Deputy Defence Minister Mikheil Darchiashvili outlined, port visit in Georgia shows how intensively and variously relations between Georgia and the Alliance is developing. “This visit emphasizes NATO’s support to Georgia in the ongoing reforms in defence and security sphere. Georgia’s top foreign policy priority is to integrate NATO. Georgia is an aspirant country of the Alliance. NATO marine commanderships visit in Georgia, under which bilateral trainings are planned to be undergo, will be a step forward to rise interoperability with the Alliance. This, of course, will promote Georgia on NATO integration process,” stated Mikheil Darchiashvili.

Within the framework of the visit the crew of the vessel will organize joint training of the special task forces of the Ministry of Defence and the marine divers of the border police coast guard of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the bottom of the sea. Theoretical trainings are also planned on firefighting issues. The relevant services of Defence Ministry, Ministry of Internal Affairs and the city will participate in the training.