Georgian ruling party, opposition sign joint statement ahead of NATO summit
Georgian parliamentary parties signed a joint statement to NATO earlier today in the state legislature. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Georgian parliamentary parties signed a joint statement earlier today in which they urged NATO and its member states to continue close partnership with Georgia.
The parties signed the document ahead of a NATO summit on June 14 in Brussels which will not be attended by the alliance’s partner states Georgia and Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that only member states will participate in the 2021 one-day summit.
In the recently signed statement ruling party and opposition MPs stated that NATO membership ‘is a fundamental national security concern of Georgia and is based on undisputed, broad political and public support.’
The parties thanked the alliance and its member states for their ‘substantial political and practical support.’
Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava said that the joint statement is a 'brilliant example' that there are issues which are unanimously approved by all parties in the country. Photo: parliament of Georgia press office.
We call on NATO and its member states to continue to work closely with Georgia as the country prepares to pursue ambitious reforms aimed at consolidating democracy, jointly agreed upon by parliamentary political parties, as well as to provide stronger assistance and share the experience in the fight against growing and hybrid threats,” said the statement.
The parties stated that cooperation for the Black Sea security should be strengthened because ‘Russia's actions threaten regional security and the democracies of the region.’
We hail the ambitious report NATO 2030: United for a New Era and hope that the new strategic concept of the alliance will adequately reflect the recommendations of this report on its open-door policy, NATO's vision for the Black Sea and its role in Euro-Atlantic security,” said the parties.
The parties expressed common commitment to a stronger NATO ‘that works to protect freedom-loving nations, including Georgia, in peace, democracy and prosperity and a hope that the June 14 summit will provide an opportunity for Georgia to make progress on its path towards NATO integration.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili earlier expressed hope that the summit will send ‘clear messages’ to Georgia and Ukraine.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has expressed Georgia’s determination to become a full-fledged member of NATO which is celebrating its 72nd anniversary today.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will meet with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvil in Brussels on January 22, the NATO press office has reported. Previously Stoltenberg and Zurabishvili met in January 2019. Stoltenberg met with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia also at NATO headquarters back in September 2020.
The Cyber Security Bureau of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia has become a full member of the Multinational Malware Information Sharing Platform (MISP), which is a NATO-endorsed smart defence initiative, reports the Ministry of Defence.
Poll results released today by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) show that 82 percent of Georgians approve joining the EU, while 74 percent of those surveyed approve the Georgian government’s stated goal of joining NATO.
The Baltic states are united in advocating stronger support for aspiring partners Georgia and Ukraine during the NATO June 14 summit, Lithuanian President Ginatas Nauseda has tweeted. Georgia and Ukraine will not attend the one-day summit in Brussels because only the member states will participate in it. Georgian parliamentary parties signed a joint statement yesterday, ahead of the summit, in which they urged NATO and its member states to continue close partnership with Georgia.
US Senator Rob Portman, who has recently visited Georgia, stated that the US government should urge NATO ahead of the June 14 summit to provide a membership action plan (MAP) for Georgia and Ukraine.In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Portman said that getting both countries on the path to NATO membership would help protect them against Russian aggression.