Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan awarded for exemplary service
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Two Georgian soldiers currently protecting international peace in Afghanistan have received awards for their exemplary service at Bagram Air Base in the war-torn country.
Georgian servicemen Vice Colonel Manuchar Barbakadze and Sergeant Gurgen Narsia, both of whom are serving in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Resolute Support Mission, were presented medals from their Czech counterparts from a tactical Buffalo Group of the mission.
The Georgian soldiers were praised for their high professionalism and high level of coordination as they carried out their military tasks.
- Georgia is the largest non-NATO contributor to the NATO-led Resolute Support mission with 885 troops.
- The Resolute Support mission was a follow-on task from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission, to which Georgia contributed about 750 troops.
Meanwhile in Georgia Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli hosted a group of high-level officials from the NATO Supreme Allied Command Europe.
The NATO officials, head of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia William Lahue among them, came to Georgia in the framework of the NATO-Georgia annual working meeting for coordination of military cooperation.
Georgia’s significant role in international peacekeeping missions, its implementation of the NATO-Georgia Substantial Package of support and prospects to enhance the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre (JTEC) were high on the meeting’s agenda.
Khidasheli stressed these types of meetings or conferences were typically held in NATO member states.
The fact that we are hosting such an important meeting indicates the very close cooperation and trust between the Alliance and Georgia,” Khidasheli said.
Georgia’s Defence Ministry hosted a visit of high-level NATO officials in Tbilisi. Photo by the Defence Ministry.
Today we discussed a range of activities planned together, with NATO-Georgia trainings this autumn among them. We also spoke about the JTEC as the Centre will start coming into full swing in terms of evaluation and trainings from this May.
Our partners’ participation in such activities is crucial and these types of meetings also serve our major aim to expand our cooperation with NATO members,” Khidasheli said.
The NATO guests were scheduled to view the JTEC and visit the Davit Agmashenebeli National Defence Academy today.
Georgian troops will continue to serve in Afghanistan in a NATO-led peacekeeping mission after 2017.
Georgian soldiers are officially engaged in the Resolute Support (RS) mission in Afghanistan.
The Georgian armed forces arrived in northern Afghanistan for beginning new mission, serving as the rapid-reaction force under German command in Mazar-e-Sharif.
Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg says Georgia is one of NATO’s closest partners and the Alliance is ready to offer continued support for the country.
Alliance’s door is open to Georgia
Georgia’s relationship with NATO was highlighted in the report, published by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg,and special mention was made of NATO’s deepening cooperation with its members and partners to build global stability.
"I call on Russia to reverse its recognition of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia as independent states,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the NATO-Georgia Commission meeting in Brussels today.
“We’re champions in fighting for world peace”
Georgia’s newly appointed Minister of Defence Levan Izoria has travelled to Afghanistan for his first official international trip to meet local officials and visit Georgian soldiers who are on a peacekeeping and security mission serving alongside NATO and EU troops.
Soldiers of the 22nd Georgian battalion were awarded for their exemplary deeds at the Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan yesterday.
Commanders of the Georgian Defence Forces and heads of related institutions were awarded by Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze in an occasion linked to the Defence Forces Day that was celebrated on April 30, the Ministry said on Friday.