NATO envoy explains impact of regional conflict on Georgia
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NATO’s representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia region has explained a part of the Wales Summit Declaration relating to conflict in the region.
On his Facebook page, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia region James Appathurai said the continuation of extended conflicts undermined the opportunities for citizens in the region to reach their full potential as members of the Euro-Atlantic community.
"The text refers deliberately to"citizens" - to the opportunities for individuals to travel, trade and prosper in freedom. It does not, again deliberately, refer to "states" because NATO does not accept that any third party can stop the enlargement process by creating or freezing a conflict," Appathurai wrote.
The 31st Article of the Wales Summit Declaration, issued to Georgia on September 5, 2014 read: "We will continue to support efforts towards a peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the south Caucasus, as well as in the Republic of Moldova, based upon these principles and the norms of international law, the UN Charter, and the Helsinki Final Act. The persistence of these protracted conflicts continues to be a matter of particular concern, undermining the opportunities for citizens in the region to reach their full potential as members of the Euro-Atlantic community. We urge all parties to engage constructively and with reinforced political will in peaceful conflict resolution, within the established negotiation frameworks."
The section in the Declaration related to conflict was understood by Georgia’s opposition party United National Movement (UNM) as if a "solution to the conflicts was a preposition for aspirant countries to become members".
"This is the fail of the Georgian diplomacy," Giorgi Kandelaki of UNM said. He said NATO's position was "opposite" before and the Alliance had now declared that conflict resolution could not be considered as a preposition for becoming a NATO member country.
However Appathurai confirmed NATO aspirant countries would be assessed on their reforms, their readiness and NATO's readiness. It was "plain and simple," he said.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has agreed in principle to offer "a substantive package” to Georgia to help it come closer to NATO but made no mention of membership.
On the opening day of the NATO Summit in Wales, Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili met NATO’s top official and spoke briefly on the support package NATO will offer Georgia in the next two days.
The ongoing crisis in Ukraine and its potential impact on Georgia and other neighbouring countries was what Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili told a UK audience today.
A positive report of Georgia and the success of its recent local elections could play an important part in the country’s future relationship with NATO.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Georgia will not be offered a Membership Action Plan (MAP) at the NATO Summit in Wales in September.
The NATO Summit meeting in Wales comes at a critical time in the Alliance’s history – when the global security environment is becoming increasingly unpredictable and unstable, says NATO.
NATO may hold military exercises in Georgia and establish a military training centre in the country, see more Georgian participation in NATO exercises and possibly expand the local NATO liaison office - a top NATO official said.
A Georgian delegation, led by President Giorgi Margvelashvili, has left for the United Kingdom to take part in the NATO Summit in Wales on September 4 and 5.
The State Minister of Georgia for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Alex Petriashvili explains the meaning of the package being offered by NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) to Georgia at the NATO Summit in the United Kingdom.