NATO responds positively to Georgia’s Annual National Program 2015

Georgia has presented the country’s Annual National Program (ANP) 2015 to NATO members and allies at a special meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Georgia’s First Deputy State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Archil Karaulashvili presented the ANP 2015 at the NATO-Georgia Commission (NGC) meeting at the level of Deputy Ambassadors yesterday.

The ANP is a special document that reflects Georgia's short- to medium-term strategy, covering various issues ranging from military reforms to foreign and security policy and economic development. It is considered as a NATO integration instrument, which reflects all necessary reforms that assist in bringing Georgia closer to NATO standards.

Generally, Georgia presents the document to the Alliance at the beginning of each year.

At yesterday’s meeting, the 28 members of the Alliance positively assessed Georgia’s ANP reform plan and noted the document was "comprehensive and realistic”.

The importance of Georgia successfully implementing the variety of reforms was noted at the meeting, and the progress already made by Georgia was praised. The allies also agreed the preliminary agenda of the NATO-Georgia Commission for the year of 2015.

Within the framework of the visit, First Deputy State Minister Karaulashvili met with NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai.

The pair discussed current security challenges in the region and Georgia’s forward steps into NATO integration.

Georgia’s Ministry of European and Euro-Atlantic integration released a statement that said the NATO allies expressed their gratitude for Georgia's "significant contribution” to the NATO peace operations and for its "firm readiness to engage in ensuring global security”.

"Representatives of the NATO member states reconfirmed their support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as their unwavering support to the non-recognition policy towards the occupied regions,” the Ministry said.

Furthermore, the NATO allies expressed concern about the "aggressive actions of the Russian Federation against Georgia” and condemned the signing of so-called agreements with occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region as a "rude violation of international law”.

Meanwhile, Georgia is gearing up to host joint military drills with the NATO Rapid Reaction Force for the first time.

US Brigadier General John Hort visited Vaziani military base. Photo by mod.gov.ge

The United States (US)-Georgia joint exercise, named Noble Partner, will be carried out on the territory of Vaziani military air field and military firing-ground near Tbilisi on May 11-25.

US Brigadier General John Hort has already visited Georgia to manage final details of the Georgian-American joint exercise. This will be the first time exercises of this nature will be conducted in Georgia.

The goal of the Nobel Partner drills is the convergence of Georgian military with the NATO Rapid Reaction Force, as well as preparation for participation in future operations and drills of NATO.