Georgian Defence Minister praises cooperation with US, plans to conduct more exercises with NATO

Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria has praised Georgia-US cooperation at the 16th Batumi International Conference adding more rotational military exercises with involvement of NATO countries are planned in Georgia.

Izoria said that Georgia is preparing for another three-year cycle of cooperation to ‘increase Georgia’s self-defence capacity.’

We would like to create a steady foundation that is important for democratic institutions… We are ambitious to see Georgia-US cooperation at a higher level,” Levan Izoria said.

He also highlighted the Georgian military contingent’s contribution to international peacekeeping missions.

• Defense Minister says NATO-Georgia cooperation is tighter, more extensive

Georgian Defence Minister Izoria also said that large-scale international military exercises are of high importance because they are part of a deterrence policy.

We plan to conduct more rotation exercises in Georgia in cooperation of NATO countries as more NATO and EU in Georgia means more security,” he said.

The 16th Batumi International Conference opened yesterday in the coastal city of Batumi.  

The conference is dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the EU’s Eastern Partnership initiative.