Parliament Vice Speaker highlights Georgia’s “strategic readiness” to join NATO

Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said the country was in “strategic readiness” to join NATO and the Government was working “together with our partners” to gain a “political decision that Georgia deserves”.

In his comments over the matter, Talakvadze noted the bloc’s reports and official statements “confirmed” Georgia was “compatible with NATO requirements” and “ready” for membership.

Over the years, Georgia has been one of the large-scale participants in international missions among [NATO] non-member countries. The status quo is that Georgia is strategically ready for accession, and we are working with our partners to have such a political decision that Georgia deserves”, Talakvadze said.

“Georgia will definitely become a member of the European and Euro-Atlantic family. It depends on many international factors. You know how many international shifts and tectonic changes are followed by each NATO decision and each political step on enlargement”, he added.

Therefore, those who discuss this issue superficially and talk about Georgia in a superficial way, these people either have a superficial idea of NATO and international security, or they have a subjective interest in somehow damaging the image of Georgia”, the Parliament official claimed.

Talakvadze also stressed Ukraine was in a “toughest” war to defend its territory, adding it was “not surprising that it is on the international political agenda and under the spotlight” in discussions.