Ruling party head: NATO Summit “has not changed status quo” on Georgia, Ukraine membership
Kobakhidze was commenting on the Communiqué adopted at this week’s Summit, which reiterated the decision made at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that “Georgia will become a member of the Alliance”. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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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.
Kobakhidze was commenting on the Communiqué adopted at this week’s Summit, which reiterated the decision made at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that “Georgia will become a member of the Alliance”.
Just as nobody knew yesterday exactly when and how Georgia and Ukraine will become NATO members, the situation is the same after yesterday's Communiqué - that is, the status quo was maintained”, the party official said.
“In essence, the decision of the Bucharest Summit remains in force - that both countries will definitely become members of NATO - but beyond that, no specifics were said yesterday, which is understandable”, he told the local media.
The ruling party head also stressed the final document of the Summit had “clearly” stated that “NATO does not want a confrontation with Russia, and the expression of this attitude is that we do not have any news” on membership prospects of the two countries.
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.
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”.
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.
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”.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday said the ongoing NATO Summit in Vilnius had “confirmed” the country was “on the right track” and would “definitely receive” an invitation for membership “in the future”.
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.