NATO Renews Commitment To Georgia’s Full Membership

Trend News Agency
March 15, 2013

Prospects for Georgia’s integration into NATO discussed at Brussels Forum
N. Kirtskhalia

Tbilisi: Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Alasania took part in discussions on the future of Euro-Atlantic integration within the annual Brussels Forum. This was reported in a statement released by the Georgian Ministry of Defence on Monday.

During the forum, speeches were delivered by the Deputy Secretary General of NATO Alexander Vershbow, Executive Director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership, Ambassador Kurt Volker, Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic and Chairman of the German Bundestag’s Committee on Foreign Affairs Ruprecht Polenz.

The Deputy Secretary General of NATO Alexander Vershbow reported on the expansion of the alliance which is central to the organisation’s agenda.
According to him, the decision adopted at the Bucharest summit on Georgia’s accession to NATO remains in force.

“Georgia has a unique status. This country received a very clear message at the NATO’s Bucharest Summit that it will become a member of the alliance,” Vershbow said.

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The Deputy Secretary General touched upon the reforms conducted in Georgia following the Bucharest Summit and mentioned the process that began after the parliamentary elections of October 1, as well as cohabitation between the government and opposition.

“To date, among all non-NATO member countries, Georgia is the largest contributor to the international operation in Afghanistan. Also, Georgia has committed to developing regional security without the use of force,” Vershbow said.

As part of the discussion on ‘The Future of the Euro-Atlantic Integration’, Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Alasania spoke about the on-going democratic reforms in the country. He raised issues such as the normalisation of relations with Russia, the situation in the occupied territories as well as participation in the international operation in Afghanistan. The minister also answered questions about the prospects of Georgia’s integration into the alliance.

Large-scale military actions were launched in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.

Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August of that year. Tbilisi ended diplomatic relations with Moscow in response and has called the two unrecognised republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.