Georgian FM: NATO membership Georgia’s top foreign policy priority
FM Zalkaliani joined a discussion on security on NATO’s frontlines at the "NATO Engages:Innovating the Alliance” on the sidelines of the NATO Leaders Meeting in London. Photo: Georgian Foreign Ministry
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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”.
NATO membership is Georgia’s top foreign policy priority. ????????has political commitment from t/Allies made at Bucharest Summit & “all practical tools” 4 membership. We progressed significantly. ???????? is t/most reliable & capable contributors to Euro-Atlantic security #NATOEngages pic.twitter.com/PHJ7eC05CQ
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) December 3, 2019
FM Zalkaliani joined a discussion at the "NATO Engages: Innovating the Alliance” on the sidelines of the NATO Leaders Meeting in London.
Starting now: From the Baltic to the Black Sea: Security on NATO's Frontlines: Min. of Defence of Romania, Lithuania @Lithuanian_MoD, Estonia & Foreign Min. of Ukraine @VPrystaiko and Georgia @DZalkaliani,moderated by @BillNeelyNBC Live stream here https://t.co/5HEnhpyiMj
— GLOBSEC (@GLOBSEC) December 3, 2019
FM Zalkaliani also noted that in the Black Sea region, which is attracting more and more attention from NATO, the most security challenge comes from Russia.
As we are speaking now, the process of occupation is going on in Georgia... People are kidnapped, detained in illegal custody", FM Zalklaiani said.
Speaking about "a humanitarian disaster" in Russian occupied regions, he also mentioned the recent sentencing of a well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili in Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
We welcome the fact that NATO has become engaged in the Black Sea security, as European and Euro-Atlantic security cannot be complete without secure and stable Black Sea. #NATOEngages pic.twitter.com/Ft6xyQ4ITw
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) December 3, 2019
In his speech David Zalkaliani also explained that Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations are not directed against any third party, but rather aim to strengthen the country's defence capabilities and its resilience.
David Zalkaliani, who is visiting London on NATO Leaders Meeting on December 3-4, said NATO-Georgia relations have never been at such a high-level and his presence proves that Georgia is a partner of NATO.
Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani will travel to the United States on April 3-4. In Washington DC Minister Zalkaliani will join the events on the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministerial dedicated to the seventieth anniversary of the Alliance.
Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani is paying a visit to Brussels, where he met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller at NATO headquarters today. He also spoke at a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said yesterday that “we see Russia, which has been responsible for aggressive actions against neighbours: Georgia, Ukraine, but also have forces in Moldova without the consent of the government in that country”.
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.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani met with the Chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak in Bratislava, Slovakia on the sidelines of the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council yesterday.