All political parties sign Declaration to NATO Summit

Georgia's President Giorgi Margvelashvili has today announced almost all of the country’s leading political parties unanimously support Georgia’s "irreversible" efforts to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Margvelashvili, who is leading Georgia’s delegation at the NATO Warsaw Summit, told local media this morning morning that prior to the July 8-9 Summit, Parliament of Georgia adopted a declaration about Georgia’s intentions with the Alliance. The declaration was supported by the Parliamentary majority and the opposition, announced Margvelashvili. 

He added the the declaration was signed by himself, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili and the document  highlighted the importance of Georgia’s NATO membership. 

Today in Warsaw the Georgian delegation is backed by the declaration,” President Margvelashvili said. 

The US Embassy to Georgia released a statement today that said the US "supports the important message issued today by Georgia's political leaders: Georgia is united in the principle that it is a sovereign, independent state”.

The declaration text was released on the webpage of the Administration of the President: 

NATO’s 28th Warsaw Summit opens today and will continue until the end of tomorrow. 

More than 50 official delegations will participate in the Summit. This includes all 28 NATO allies, Montenegro, whose accession to NATO is currently in the ratification process, 26 partner countries and representatives from the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

About 2,500 official delegates and 2,000 media representatives are also expected to attend.

As well as President Margvelashvili, the Georgian delegation at the Summit included Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli, Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration David Bakradze, head of the National Security Council Irine Imerlishvili and other officials.

The first NATO Summit was held in December 1957 while the last one was held in Wales, United Kingdom, in September 2014.

At the Wales Summit Georgia was granted a Substantial Package, which was a set of tools and action to boost Georgia’s self-defence capabilities and enhance Georgia’s ties with the Alliance.

Georgia’s top officials said after this year’s Summit Georgia will be a more stable nation with increased foreign support.