Georgian PM: North Atlantic Council meeting in Batumi is symbolic, we’re firm on our NATO goals
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller have opened the North Atlantic Council meeting in Batumi earlier today. Photo: NATO.int.
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Georgian Prime Minister, Giorgi Gakharia, who has opened the fifth North Atlantic Council (NAC) meeting in Georgia’s western coastal city of Batumi earlier today, told NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller and the audience that the meeting venue is symbolic because of the importance of Black Sea security.
Gakharia said that since the annexation of Crimea by Russia, NATO's presence on the Black Sea is "critically important."
We all know that a secured Euro-Atlantic space is less imaginable without the security of the Black Sea,” Gakharia said.
He stated that Georgia’s cooperation with NATO “is the foundation of Georgia’s foreign policy and its security.”
Gakharia said that since applying to NATO for membership back in 2002 Georgia has faced significant obstacles and made much progress.
Georgian PM Gakharia said that Georgia's NATO membership should take place in the "definite future." Photo: Prime Minister's press office.
Georgia’s progress was acknowledged at the 2008 NATO Bucharest Summit and we were promised to become a member of the alliance. 71 per cent of Georgians approve the country’s NATO membership and we hope to become part of the alliance in the definite future,” Gakharia said.
Gakharia stated that the upcoming NATO ministerial in December should confirm NATO’s open-door policy.
He thanked NATO and its member states for supporting Georgia’s democratic development and territorial integrity.
Gottemoeller praised Georgia’s contribution to international peace and security and the country’s achievements for democracy, also called upon Russia to withdraw its forces from the Georgian territory.
The visit is an opportunity to deepen and strengthen cooperation with Georgia and to ensure that the Black Sea remains a source of stability and security for the region,” Gottemoeller said.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller told the Georgian PM that she firmly supports the democratic reforms being carried out in Georgia, the government of Georgia press office reports. Photo: Government's oress office.
She stated that it is also an occasion to celebrate five years of the Substantial NATO-Georgia package – “the cornerstone of our support to the reform of Georgia’s security and defence sectors, and to Georgia’s preparations for NATO membership.”
The meeting which is scheduled to end tomorrow is unprecedented because NAC has not had five meetings in a partner nation ever, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.
The delegation composed of 29 members of NATO is chaired by deputy Secretary General of NATO Gottemoeller, who will also hold meetings with Georgian top officials.
The NAC meeting was initiated by the government of Georgia.
See the full agenda.here.
Rasmussen said that NATO member states “should move beyond offering warm words” about the democratic will of the Georgian and Ukrainian people, and acknowledge the disruptive role that “Kremlin paranoia is playing” in the accession process.
NATO Foreign Ministers have agreed on a package of measures to improve the Alliance’s situational awareness in the Black Sea region and strengthen support for its partners – Georgia and Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani participated in a discussion dedicated to the seventieth anniversary of NATO on the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministerial on April 3 in the United States.
The North Atlantic Council (NAC), which is the principal political decision-making body of NATO, is scheduled to hold its fifth meeting in Georgia on October 3-4 in Georgia's coastal city of Batumi.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller says that Russia is against Georgian membership in NATO, but the attitude has nothing to do with the position of the alliance. Gottemoeller made the statement during a press conference with Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia, on the sidelines of the 5th North Atlantic Council (NAC) meeting in Batumi earlier today.
The United States Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison spoke with Georgian reporters today about the key role that the partnership between Georgia and NATO plays in maintaining regional security.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, who chairs the NATO delegation to Georgia, says that the alliance “is determined” to continue close cooperation with Georgia on maritime security. Gottemoeller made the statement while visiting Georgian coast guard vessels in the city of Batumi earlier today, on the last day of the visit.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has awarded NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller with the order of the Golden Fleece for her “particular merit” to Georgia, stating that the “award is symbolic that NATO-Georgia cooperation will continue, strengthen further and lead to the final goal.”
NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said the North Atlantic Council (NAC) had “a really excellent visit” to Georgia.
NATO former Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller says that NATO is devoted to the decision made in 2008 in Bucharest and Georgia will definitely become a member of the alliance. She made the statement in a live address from Bucharest for Georgia Defence and Security Conference being held in Batumi.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said at a high-level event in London this afternoon that “NATO membership is Georgia’s top foreign policy priority”. FM Zalkaliani joined a discussion on the sidelines of the NATO Leaders Meeting in London.