NATO, EU diplomats praise Georgia’s defence reforms

Foreign diplomats accredited to Georgia are supporting the reforms being carried out at the Defence Ministry.

A corresponding statement was released after Defence Minister Levan Izoria met diplomatic corps in Tbilisi today and briefed them on reform progress.

Izoria said the aim of the reforms being carried out by the Ministry for the past six months is to perfect Georgia’s Armed Forces and make it more compatible with NATO structures.

The Minister said this goal should be achieved by reducing administrative costs and bureaucracy and firing dysfunctional employees.

"Representatives of the diplomatic corps pledged their full support for Izoria’s reforms", The Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The United States Ambassador to Georgia, Ian Kelly, was one of the diplomats attending the meeting. He said the reforms were timely.

"We’re impressed by the progress, which will increase the capability of the Georgian Armed Forces to deal with the existing challenges in the region", Kelly said.

"These reforms were difficult to implement because they were associated with firing staff and reorganisation of the structure of the Ministry, but it was timely".

Georgia’s defence reforms were positively assessed by the French Ambassador to Georgia, the head of NATO Liaison Office in Georgia and other diplomats.