Georgian Defence Minister: Germany is our friend
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Berlin is a friend and partner of Georgia, says Georgia’s Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli after meeting her German counterpart.
Khidasheli paid a visit to the German capital Berlin where she held "a productive meeting” with Germany's Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen on November 27.
Had a productive meeting w/ the MoD of #Germany Ursula Von Der Leyen.Talked about mutual defense and security issues pic.twitter.com/oNAsstOxSj
— Tina Khidasheli (@tinakhidasheli) November 27, 2015
The pair discussed mutual defence and security issues.
"Germany is a country that is ready to stand by us when it comes to fixing any kind of problem,” Khidasheli told Georgian media after the meeting.
Meanwhile Germany’s Defence Ministry also issued a brief press release that said Germany and Georgia had a close military cooperation and about 130 Georgian soldiers, trained and equipped by Germany, were stationed under German command in Afghanistan in the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.
Khidasheli also spoke about Georgia’s North-Atlantic aspirations and said among NATO states there was no "mutual position” regarding Georgia’s fate so Tbilisi was now looking forward to NATO Warsaw Summit in 2016.
The Georgian Minister said from Berlin in her interview with Tbilisi-based Imedi TV that her country wanted not only a Membership Action Plan (MAP) but NATO membership itself.
"MAP is neither a goal nor the main task,” she said.
"The main thing is for Georgia to step on to the NATO membership path. There is a real chance and possibility of this.”
She explained at next year’s NATO Summit in Warsaw, Tbilisi wanted from the Alliance to either grant Georgia a MAP or declare that a MAP was no longer a precursor on its path to eventual membership.
While in Berlin, Khidasheli also met Chancellor Angela Merkel’s foreign and security policy adviser Christoph Heusgen.
Khidasheli ended her Germany visit with meeting local media yesterday and travelled to Brussels to hold high level meeting with Belgian officials today.
The United States reaffirms the commitment it made in Bucharest that Georgia will become a member of NATO, and expresses strong support for Georgia’s aspirations on this path.
Permanent representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have commended Georgia on the reforms carried out in 2015 and its efforts to improve in a range of areas to meet top, international standards.
Georgia’s ambitions for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) membership and Russia’s aggressive activities on Georgian soil were high on the agenda of Georgia’s Defence Minister during her official visit to Canada.
Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of other servicemen and women in an NATO drill in Lithuania.
Germany is supporting Georgia to develop important structures of the economy by offering trainings to local staff in marketing, creative business and management directions.
Georgia’s Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli is in the United States (US) to raise international awareness about the successful reforms carried out in Georgia, the country’s Euro-Atlantic ambitions and Russia’s occupying actions on Georgian soil.
Relations between Georgia and the United States (US) were high on the agenda of today’s meeting between Georgia’s Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli and US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland.
Poland has confirmed it wants Georgia in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Georgia’s Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli and her Polish counterpart Antoni Macierewicz met at Tbilisi International Airport early this morning for a quick but important meeting.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier are set to meet in Berlin.
Georgia’s Minister of Defence Levan Izoria, who is now paying an official visit in Germany, has stressed Georgia is firm in its position to contribute to international peace and security through active participation in foreign missions in the future.