Georgian, French defence ministers talk partnership in Paris
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Defence partnership between Georgia and France will be on the agenda for defence ministers of the two countries meeting in Paris over the next two days.
The talks will see Levan Izoria and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian review avenues of the ongoing defence cooperation.
Their meeting will include a review of details of a new air defence deal between Georgia and France, announced earlier this month.
Le Drian and Izoria met in Georgia in September 2016 to mark an anniversary of the Sachkhere Mountain Training School. Photo: Georgia’s defence ministry press office.
The two officials will also discuss French participation in the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP) — a series of defence capacity building measures agreed on between Georgia and the alliance at the NATO Wales Summit in 2014.
Izoria and Le Drian will also feature in the formal ceremony of lighting fire at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, paying respects to service members fallen in conflicts.
Izoria’s visit follows the air defence agreement which involves training service members of the Georgian Armed Forces to operate new anti-aircraft defence systems and purchasing the equipment itself from French companies.
The Georgian defence ministry has been in air defence cooperation with the French since 2015, signing deals for ground-based surveillance radars and air defence command and control systems.
The defence cooperation between the two states has also yielded joint projects since their 1997 partnership agreement.
Last year the defence ministers of the two countries marked the 10th anniversary of the Sachkhere Mountain Training School, founded in Georgia in 2006 with French support.
Georgia’s airspace will be increasingly protected over the next two years under an agreement with France that includes providing the Georgian Armed Forces with new air defence equipment and personnel training.
10 year anniversary of Sachkhere Mountain Training School
Georgia and France are marking a significant milestone in defence cooperation – today marks the 10th anniversary of the Sachkhere Mountain Training School.
Minister of Defence of France Jean-Yves Le Drian has promised France will help Georgia strengthen the country’s ability to defend itself.
Georgia’s Ministry of Finance will take a loan of €82.82 million from the French Societe Generale. Of this money, €77.63 million will purchase the new air-defence systems while the remaining money would fund other risk management expenses.
No Georgian citizens have been injured in last night’s attack in Paris but the Georgian Foreign Ministry has released hotline numbers for those who might need help.
The Georgian government has approved the Strategic Defence Review 2017-2020 – the guideline document for the Ministry of Defence that identifies main directions for the development of the MOD and Georgian Armed Forces.
This is a choice in support of a strong France, Europe
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili have congratulated Emmanuel Macron on winning the French presidential election.
Georgia is marking a significant milestone in its military history – today is the 22nd anniversary of the formation of the Georgian Air Defence.
Georgia’s Ministry of Defence has opened a US-analog courses for drill instructors in order to produce sergeants who will train recruits in the future.
As part of the bilateral Georgian-French defence cooperation, Guepratte, a multi-mission frigate of the French Navy will make a stopover in the Black Sea coastal resort of Batumi in Georgia from November 22-25.
Germany’s Ambassador to NATO Hans-Dieter Lucas has signed a decree which envisages the allocation of €500,000 for certain projects of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Substantial Package (SNGP).
Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria stated at today’s hearing in the legislative body that Georgia meets NATO standards due to the reforms the Ministry has carried out.
Germany will continue to support the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, designed to develop Georgia’s defence capability and interoperability with the Alliance, into 2019, the country’s representation at the international organisation announced on Friday.