Georgian FM highlights “strong support” from NATO partners at Summit
The top Georgian diplomat stressed the country had a “very dynamic bilateral cooperation agenda” with NATO, with the process set to continue. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday said the ongoing NATO Summit in Vilnius had “once again” emphasised that Georgia was enjoying a “strong support” from its partners in the bloc.
In his comments over the Summit Communiqué, which reiterated the decision made at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that “Georgia will become a member of the Alliance”, Darchiashvili noted the allies had “once again demonstrated strong support for Georgia” on its integration path.
Today, at the Vilnius summit, it was emphasised once again that Georgia enjoys a strong support from NATO partners - very strong support is expressed for our territorial integrity and sovereignty. Georgia's efforts to make its significant contribution to strengthening global security are highly appreciated”, Darchiashvili said.
Glad to participate in NATO #VilniusSummit. Allies have once again demonstrated strong support to Georgia on it’s NATO integration path, underlined ????????'s remarkable contribution to Euro-Atlantic security & successful coop on security & defense issues, including within the SNGP. pic.twitter.com/A4SwiEd5bY
— Ilia Darchiashvili (@iliadarch) July 11, 2023
The top Georgian diplomat stressed the country had a “very dynamic bilateral cooperation agenda” with NATO, with the process set to continue.
[T]he main message we can hear from NATO is that NATO's doors are open to its partners. [...] [W]e have appropriate mechanisms to ensure that Georgia's integration into NATO is a process that brings its valuable results in strengthening global security”, the Georgian official continued.
“On the way to implementing reforms, we are simultaneously strengthening our foreign policy priorities in our European and Euro-Atlantic integration. This is our daily activity to continue these reforms and to have specific, tangible results in our main foreign policy priorities”, he noted.
Darchiashvili also added the bloc’s “emphasising of the strong support” shown for the country at the 2008 Bucharest Summit was “still relevant”, and allowed the ongoing Summit to “also become a new impetus in bilateral NATO-Georgia relations”.
The Georgian foreign office on Tuesday welcomed the “support” for Georgia as expressed in the final document of the NATO Vilnius Summit, “both in political and practical dimensions”.
NATO Vilnius Summit Communiqué, issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council, on Tuesday reiterated their support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders and “highly appreciated” Georgia’s substantial contributions to NATO operations.
Irakli Beraia, the Chair of the Defence and Security Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said at the ongoing NATO Summit in Vilnius, Georgia was supposed to “get closer” to its “main foreign policy goal” - full integration into the Alliance.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday said the country “faithfully continues its Euro-Atlantic integration path” in her tweet while commenting on the ongoing NATO Summit.
Relations between Georgia and Greece, the former's European integration, and security matters in the Black Sea region were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis.
Prospects of strengthening cooperation between Georgia and Finland and the former's European integration were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the decision of the 2008 NATO Summit that Georgia and Ukraine would “definitely” become members of the bloc “remained in force”, and noted it was “understandable” that this year’s ongoing Summit had hot yielded “specific” outcomes.
Partnership ties between Georgia and the United Kingdom were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and his British counterpart James Cleverly on the sidelines of the ongoing NATO Vilnius Summit.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Wednesday said a strong North Atlantic Alliance was “the only path” for Georgia and Ukraine “to enduring peace and freedom”, stressing “the choice is ours and no Russian veto is to be allowed”.
Matthew Miller, the Spokesperson for the United States Department of State, on Wednesday highlighted his Government continued to support Georgia's aspiration towards NATO membership.
Kelly Degnan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, on Thursday said the message from this week’s NATO Vilnius Summit was “very clear” that the door was “wide open” for eventual membership of Georgia and Ukraine.
Jamie Shea, former NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, expressed hope the Alliance would soon send a “positive signal” to Georgia, stressing “we must remember that we promised NATO membership to two countries and we should never forget Georgia".
Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration was discussed on Monday in a meeting between Irakli Beraia, the Chair of the Defence and Security Committee of the Georgian Parliament, and Alexander Vinnikov, the Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia.