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.