Georgia’s NATO Ambassador stresses importance of gaining Alliance’s support amid Russia’s “increased pressure” on country

Victor Dolidze, the Head of the Georgian Mission to NATO, on Saturday stressed the importance of gaining the support of “friends and colleagues” in the Alliance “as much as possible” amid Russia’s “increased pressure” on the occupied territories of Georgia.

Dolidze’s comment followed recent reports of Aslan Bzhania, the de facto President of the Abkhazia region, who on Thursday told the Russian media he had signed a “new agreement” with the Kremlin over the deployment of the permanent naval base in the city of Ochamchire in the “near future”.

• Tbilisi “concerned” over Moscow’s alleged plans to deploy base in occupied Abkhazia

In his comments to the Public Broadcaster, Dolidze expressed hope that as a result of the “active work” of the Georgian delegation, the country’s values, territorial integrity, respect for sovereignty and Euro-Atlantic aspiration would be reflected in the resolution of the 69th Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Copenhagen.

• Georgian parliamentary delegation participating in NATO PA annual session in Copenhagen

At the Annual Session in Copenhagen, Tomas Jirsa, the Representative of the Permanent Delegation of the Parliament of the Czech Republic to the Alliance PA, told the Public Broadcaster that he was informed about Georgia’s progress in the fulfilment of the recommendations for NATO and European Union membership, and stressed the country met “all the criteria” to be a member of the Alliance.