NATO envoy: 'Georgia might become security exporter'
Tweet 
Share
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow is calling on Georgian political leaders to continue along its European path, maintain its high standard of reforms and work within its existing political course.
Ambassador Vershbow held a joint press conference with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili today where he praised the country on its recent reforms and stressed the special partnership between NATO and Georgia.
"Georgia might become a security exporter country, which is reaffirmed by the involvement of your important military contingent in different peacekeeping missions," Vershbow said.
"Georgia is implementing remarkable democratic reforms and we have actually seen an almost mature democracy. I want to call on the leaders of your country to continue moving in this direction."
"I also want to call on every party, every Georgian citizen to cooperate for the better future of Georgia and for democratisation of institutions. I very positively evaluate the reforms that have been implemented and that are prioritised by the Government, such as the defence reform, rule of law and improving governance on every level,” Vershbow noted.
The NATO official also noted the NATO-Georgia training centre could open in Georgia by the end of the year. He also spoke highly of how Georgia was implementing the substantial package offered by NATO at the Wales Summit last year.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at a joint press conference in Tbilisi today. Photo by PM's press office
"The package will prepare Georgia for membership to the Alliance. I will visit one place tomorrow where the centre might open. Together with Georgia we are committed to the idea that the centre should start operating by the end of this year, so that Georgia’s defence and security capabilities are strengthened,” he said.
In response Georgia's Prime Minister thanked Vershbow for his personal contribution in the process of Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and implementation of the substantial package.
"We agree that timely and effective implementation of the support package will bring us closer to our ultimate goal, which is Alliance membership," Garibashvili noted.
"We also greatly appreciate the support of the Alliance for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country and NATO’s productive engagement in the non-recognition policy of our occupied territories,” Garibashvili noted.
The NATO Deputy Secretary General arrived in Georgia early this morning for a two-day visit. He has already held several high-level meetings with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili, State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration David Bakradze and Defence Minister Mindia Janelidze.
NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Alexander Vershbow has begun his two-day visit to Georgia today.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow is set to visit Georgia in two days' time.
NATO and Georgia officials are set to gather in Brussels this week to discuss the country's progress of reforms and how the Alliance can assists 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.
Georgia is marking its place in history as the first non-member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to join the group’s Energy Security Centre of Excellence (ENSEC COE) as a Contributing Partner Nation.
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.
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.
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 Georgian Army is one of the best in the world." These were the words of NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow when he addressed a crowd at the Vaziani military base today.
In 2014 Georgia made "significant contributions" to NATO-led operations and strengthened its relationship with the Alliance, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted in his 2014 annual report which summed up the past 12 months of NATO activities.
Georgian Minister of Defence Mindia Janelidze will take part in the NATO Defence Ministerial on 4-5 February.
Georgia has chosen leaders who advocate for Euro-Atlantic integration – not Russia’s Eurasian Union, says a top NATO official.
A Georgian delegation involving the country's Minister of Defence, Mindia Janelidze, has met NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and a team from NATO at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels.
The NATO-Georgia Commission (NGC) at the level of Defence Ministers is applauding Georgia’s progress in implementing the NATO substantial package and reaffirmed that Georgia has come closer to the Alliance through its ambitious reforms.
Georgia's Ministry of Defence has received a glowing letter from NATO that positively assessed Georgia's Vaziani military base as the "perfect location" for the NATO joint training centre.
The NATO-Georgia joint Training and Assessment Centre will open in Tbilisi by the end of the fall, Deputy Minister of Defence Levan Girsiashvili said today.
A NATO assessment team involved in the establishment of the new NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre has finished its first visit to Georgia.
The United States (US) will grant $20 million USD to Georgia for security assistance, which will go towards funding Georgia’s reforms, training and equipping Georgian troops and more.
Deputy Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has spoken out about the challenges facing the Black Sea region, mainly Russia’s continuing efforts to pressure its neighbours and challenge international laws.