Georgian PM invited to attend, deliver a speech at Brussels Forum, in parallel with NATO summit
PM Irakli Garibashvili has stated that Georgia is expecting NATO to respect the country’s progress during its summit today. Photo: IPN.
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has been invited to participate and deliver a speech at Brussels Forum which will take place in parallel with the NATO June 14 summit, the Georgian Foreign Ministry says.
The ministry states that the NATO secretary general, German chancellor, Canadian PM and other top foreign officials will also participate in the forum.
Garibashvili will deliver his speech during the panel named Investing in Resilience which will focus on the importance of cooperation between NATO allies.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has stated that despite the 2021 format of the NATO summit, which is attended only by its member states, Georgia has managed to be present in Brussels during the event to push forward its priorities.
Today, NATO Leaders will take decisions to strengthen the Alliance for the future.
— NATO (@NATO) June 14, 2021
Here's what's on the agenda#NATOSummit | #NATO2030 pic.twitter.com/ovl3CaAUaF
NATO summit has already opened and Zalkaliani stated that Georgia expects the communique adopted during the summit ‘will reflect Georgia’s progress, NATO’s firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and severe humanitarian situation in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions.’
Garibashvili said that ‘we wait from NATO to appropriately evaluate and respect our progress’ during the summit.
Arriving at the summit earlier today NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the meeting would be a pivotal moment for the alliance and a time to ‘open a new chapter in our transatlantic relations.’
He said that NATO relations with Russia were ‘at its lowest point since the Cold War because of Russia’s pattern of aggressive behaviour.’
The day has arrived! Today @NATO Headquarters hosts Allied heads of state and government, as well as foreign and defense ministers, to address key transatlantic security issues. Follow us and #NATOSummit to stay up-to-date. pic.twitter.com/ZX4ZpaCQ72
— US Mission to NATO (@USNATO) June 14, 2021
So we see a pattern of Russian behavior, of aggressive actions against their neighbours Ukraine, Georgia. But also cyberattacks, hybrid attacks, poisoning against, including against Allies. And, of course, this is something that has led to the deterioration of the relationship between NATO and Russia, and our relationship is now at the lowest point since the end of the Cold War,” Stoltenberg said.
He stated that ‘NATO is adapting, NATO is responding, we have already implemented the biggest reinforcement of collective defence, with high readiness, with battlegroups in the eastern part of the alliance, and increased defence spending every year since 2014.’
Stoltenberg,however, said that along with the reinforcement of collective defence NATO will continue to strive for dialogue with Russia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said ahead of the upcoming NATO summit that the progress that Georgia has achieved on its path to NATO integration will be adequately assessed and respected.
Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says Georgia will be among the priority issues at the upcoming NATO summit of June 14, 'as a result of our active diplomatic efforts'.
US Senator Rob Portman, who has recently visited Georgia, stated that the US government should urge NATO ahead of the June 14 summit to provide a membership action plan (MAP) for Georgia and Ukraine.In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Portman said that getting both countries on the path to NATO membership would help protect them against Russian aggression.
The Baltic states are united in advocating stronger support for aspiring partners Georgia and Ukraine during the NATO June 14 summit, Lithuanian President Ginatas Nauseda has tweeted. Georgia and Ukraine will not attend the one-day summit in Brussels because only the member states will participate in it. Georgian parliamentary parties signed a joint statement yesterday, ahead of the summit, in which they urged NATO and its member states to continue close partnership with Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that not only Georgia but regional countries have been subjected to emerging security threats and urged for joint efforts against the challenge.“We are looking into ways to protect ourselves,” Garibashvili said as a keynote speaker at the Brussels forum today which is being held during the June 14-18 NATO summit and comprises several thematic panels, including the Investing in Resilience panel where Garibashvili was invited to deliver his speech.
“Georgia’s relationship with the alliance contains all the practical tools to prepare for eventual membership. We are working closely with Georgia on security in the Black Sea region, in response to Russia’s increasingly destabilising activities, and welcome the steps taken to implement the refreshed Substantial NATO-Georgia Package. We stand ready to enhance our support to Georgia, including in building resilience against hybrid threats, in training and exercises, and in secure communications. We look forward to the next NATO-Georgia exercise in 2022,” said the communique.