State Department Spokesperson: US continues to support Georgia’s NATO aspirations
In his remarks, Miller noted Georgia was a “steadfast partner” in the NATO Enhanced Opportunities format. Photo: Department of State
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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.
In his remarks, Miller noted Georgia was a “steadfast partner” in the NATO Enhanced Opportunities format.
It’s a category reserved for NATO’s closest partners. And on the United States’ behalf, we continue to support Georgia’s NATO aspirations”, Miller said.
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”.
In a statement over the Communiqué, which reiterated the decision made at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that “Georgia will become a member of the Alliance”, the Georgian Ministry noted it was “important” to continue working towards implementation of the decision.
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”.
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.
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”.
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".
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, on Monday said the country had been the “first victim” of Russian aggression and added the Government had warned its Western partners about the continued threat from the Kremlin following the 2008 conflict.