United States wants Georgia in NATO
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Georgia will become a NATO member - the United States (US) remains faithful to this commitment.
The US State Department issued a joint statement following Monday’s plenary session of the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission (SPC), where it said:
"The United States reaffirmed the commitment it made in Bucharest that Georgia will become a member of NATO, and expressed strong support for Georgia’s aspirations on this path.”
The statement also stated both sides – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili – underscored Georgia’s intensive reforms and progress through the Annual National Program, the NATO-Georgia Commission, and implementation of the NATO-Georgia Substantial Package, which help Georgia advance in its preparations towards NATO membership.
"Both sides praised the progress in enhancing Georgia’s interoperability with NATO, including via the United States’ sponsorship of Georgia’s participation in the NATO Response Force,” the statement read.
The sides also discussed the importance of enhancing the security of Georgia by increasing its defensive capabilities, resilience and deterrence.
The US side hailed US-Georgia collaboration on strengthening Georgia’s borders against trans-national organised crime, resulting in Georgia last year seizing three tonnes of heroine in the world's largest-ever heroine bust.
The fifth plenary session of the US-Georgia SPC took place on November 2 in Washington.
The SPC serves as the primary strategic bilateral dialogue to deepen cooperation between the US and Georgia and to advance their shared goal of Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
The SPC focused on advancing bilateral cooperation in the areas of democracy, defence and security, economics, trade and energy, as well as through people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
In the statement following the plenary session it was stressed the SPC welcomed Georgia’s growing economic role in the region as a trade and transportation hub.
The SPC also commended Georgia’s reform efforts and welcomed the steps Georgia had taken to increase checks and balances on the Prosecutor General’s Office and law enforcement and security services.
Read the full statement here.
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