Georgia’s Chief of Defence, NATO top commanders in anniversary Military Committee meeting
Major General Chachibaia (left) photographed with his Lithuanian counterpart Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Zukas at the NATO Military Committee meeting. Photo: NATO.
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Georgia’s Chief of the General Staff of Armed Forces was among the most senior NATO military commanders for the alliance’s 180th Military Committee meeting in Brussels this week.
Major General Vladimer Chachibaia rubbed shoulders with top-ranking defence chiefs and officials for the conference that concluded on Wednesday after two days of review of security and defence challenges for NATO.
Opened by the Committee’s Chairman, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, the meeting involved an address by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg before the military brass got involved on the agenda.
Discussion of the security situation in Afghanistan — concerning the Resolute Support peacekeeping mission of NATO in the country — was a principal topic for the event, however subjects concerning Georgia and the Western Balkans were also raised on day two.
Discussions on the day centred around topics including “the NATO-Georgia partnership with a particular focus on the progress of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package [SNGP]”, a release by the alliance said.
Chachibaia spoke at the anniversary meeting about regional security questions for the South Caucasus and for Georgia, the Ministry of Defence of Georgia said.
Progress made in cooperation between NATO and Georgia on the SNGP was in his talking points along with “future plans” on the package.
The Georgian Chief of Defence spoke at the meeting and held meetings with military chiefs of the Committee and it’s EU counterpart. Photo: NATO.
The military chiefs’ gathering also involved discussion of the NATO-Georgia Exercise set to be held this coming spring in the country.
Chachibaia also held direct meetings with Air Chief Marshal Peach and General Claudio Graziano, Chairperson of the European Union Military Committee, discussing Georgia’s ongoing participation in international peacekeeping missions, among other questions.
The Military Committee meeting also featured Major General Vakhtang Kapanadze, Georgia’s former Chief of Defence and currently the country's top military representative to NATO.
In discussions beside Georgia, military chiefs of the alliance confirmed their “unwavering” support for the Afghanistan mission, in response to recent speculation on possible pullout of United States troops from the country.
The North Atlantic Council (NAC), a principal political decision-making body of NATO, held a meeting with Georgian and Ukrainian officials in Brussels. Regional security issues, along with Russia’s recent activities against Ukraine in the Sea of Azov, were key issues on the agenda of yesterday’s meeting, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated during the NATO Foreign Ministerial today that Georgia and Ukraine face serious security challenges from Russia and the alliance will continue to give both countries practical and political support.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg claims that Georgia will not have to make a choice between its occupied territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and NATO membership.
Former Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces Major General Vakhtang Kapanadze has been appointed as the country's top military representative to NATO.
Head of Georgian Defence Forces Major General Vladimer Chachibaia joined senior NATO military commanders at the alliance’s 182nd Military Committee meeting in Brussels on January 14-15. Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach said the Chiefs of Defence recognised “Georgia’s significant and enduring contribution to NATO’s operations and missions”.