Usupashvili: It’s time for Georgia to make one more step to NATO

"Today Georgia is as ready to be a NATO member, as were incumbent members when they were invited to join the Alliance.” These words were spoken by Georgia’s Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) session in Budapest.

Today Usupashvili delivered his first-ever speech at the NATO PA and spoke about why the decisions made there were so important for his country.

"Russia's open military campaign against other sovereign countries underlines the necessity for NATO to take efficient steps,” Usupashvili said.

"The response should be adequate, consecutive and constant. Moscow shall pay a political and economic price to Ukraine, Georgia and other countries”.

The Georgian Parliament Speaker said an 'open door' policy would demonstrate that Russia cannot oppress NATO member states.

"It is high time for Georgia to take one more step towards NATO integration, they will be crucial steps and the Warsaw Summit [in 2016] is a due venue for it,” Usupashvili said.

"As always, we count on you – NATO responsible politicians – it is time to make political decisions for Georgia. Thus, from the Warsaw Summit we expect a MAP [Membership Action Plan] or adoption of the declaration that Georgia no longer needs a MAP for accession to NATO”.

Meanwhile today the PA adopted a declaration on NATO Enlargement. It reaffirmed its "full and continuous support” for NATO enlargement and the membership aspirations of Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Assembly also urged the governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance to continue supporting the implementation of a Substantial NATO-Georgia Package and, in accordance with the Bucharest 2008 Summit decision, to take the next step in Georgia’s integration to NATO by granting it a MAP.