Garibashvili: Global policy will determine Georgia’s NATO future
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Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibahsvili believes Georgia has fulfilled all obligations leading towards further integration with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and now it was time to patiently wait for next year’s NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland.
Today the Georgian official said his Government was "calmly” waiting for next July’s NATO gathering and he encouraged people not to create certain expectations about what the Warsaw Summit might mean for Georgia.
Garibashvili is in Paris, France attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference but found time to comment on tomorrow’s NATO Ministerial in Brussels, Belgium.
The Ministerial is expected to reveal several hints about Georgia’s integration prospects with the Alliance.
In his comment Prime Minister Garibashvili stressed "he hoped Georgia will become a NATO member state” as his Government had "done its utmost to achieve this”, adding now it was up to global policy to determine Georgia’s fate regarding membership to the Alliance.
Georgia's Prime Minister speaks about tomorrow's NATO Ministerial . Photo by the Prime Minister's webpage.
We might become a NATO member state tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in the future. … It is quite hard to definitely forecast the date as we are taking the international situation into account.”
It is the recommendation of the NATO Secretary General and the Alliance member countries for [our] Government not to create certain expectations among our people concerning the outcome of the Summit. It is necessary for us to follow this process calmly,” Garibahsvili said.
On this note, Georgia’s Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili stated that no matter what decision would be made at the Warsaw Summit "Georgia would continue its move to the Alliance anyway.”
We should all understand that the NATO membership is our aim and we should do our utmost to meet the goal,” Kvirikashvili said.
The Minister stressed that Georgia has been a loyal partner to NATO and fulfilled all its obligations, consequently, he hoped for positive from the Summit.
Permanent representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have commended Georgia on the reforms carried out in 2015 and its efforts to improve in a range of areas to meet top, international standards.
Georgia’s ambitions for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) membership and Russia’s aggressive activities on Georgian soil were high on the agenda of Georgia’s Defence Minister during her official visit to Canada.
Georgia is asking NATO to offer the country a Membership Action Plan (MAP) at the Warsaw Summit planned for July 2016.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow believes all tools are in place for Georgia to move forward with its desire to integrate into Euro-Atlantic structures.
NATO and Georgia officials have gathered in Brussels to discuss the country's progress of reforms and how the Alliance can assist Georgia as it moves to realise its European aspirations.
NATO-Georgia officials are gathering in Brussels today to discuss how Georgia will implement the Substantive Package, offered by the Alliance at last month’s NATO Summit in Wales.