Georgia hosts US Army and NATO Supreme Allied Commander
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Commander of US European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti was hosted by the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili and the Minister of Defense Levan Izoria today.
The American general will attend the Georgian Defence Readiness Program launch ceremony with the defence minister and also will participate in the opening of the Combat Training Center at Vaziani military base.
The strategic partnership between US and Georgia, the country's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels were discussed by Commander Scaparrotti and PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
Curtis Scaparrotti placed special emphasis on the progress made by Georgia in terms of democratic development and the modernisation of the armed forces and defence institutions. He also confirmed US firm support for Georgia on the road of becoming the NATO member. On the other hand, the PM Kvirikashvili expressed his hope that the allies will appropriately recognise the progress made by Georgia at the NATO summit in Brussels planned to be held in July and take decision that will further strengthen NATO-Georgia relations.
At another meeting with the Georgian Defence Minister Curtis Scaparrotti discussed the progress of Noble Partner - a US Army Europe-led exercise hosted at the Vaziani and Camp Norio training areas in Georgia, as well as the Agile Spirit multinational military exercise which will be held in Georgia this year again with the support of US European Command.
Georgia’s defence officials and military commanders hosted Lieutenant General Jan Broeks, Director General of the NATO International Military Staff this week, for talks and meetings on cooperation between the alliance and the country.
One hundred Georgian soldiers from the 11th battalion of the 1st Infantry brigade and 21st battalion from the 2nd Infantry Brigade have left for the NATO peace mission in Afghanistan equipped with bulletproof vests and armor helmets made in Georgia by the State Military Scientific-Technical Center Delta.
This year’s Agile Spirit multinational defence exercise in Georgia will include sea component for the first time, with the drills set to involve troops from the host country and its international partners.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili met with the US Secretary of Defense James Mattis at the 54th Munich Security Conference today. Thanking Mattis for his strong and active support towards Georgia, PM Kvirikashvili said the last year has been of the special importance for Georgia in terms of cooperation with the new US administration.
Parliamentarians from the NATO nations have appealed for Alliance leaders on Monday to continue providing strong political and practical support to Georgia in the process of NATO integration and to advance the further political dimension of the country’s NATO membership process.
Georgian defence and security experts and their international partners are hosting a conference in Tbilisi on the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package initiative.