Parliament Speaker highlights interrelated progress between EU, NATO, despite them being separate organisations
In his comments after meeting with Javier Colomina, the Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia of the NATO Secretary General, Papuashvili noted the visiting official had congratulated Georgia on its progress on the EU path. Photo via Parliament of Georgia
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Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the country’s progress attained in the European Union by receiving the EU membership candidate status implied advancement in NATO as well, as interconnected to each other, despite them being two separate organisations.
In his comments after meeting with Javier Colomina, the Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia of the NATO Secretary General, Papuashvili noted the visiting official had congratulated Georgia on its progress on the EU path.
Fruitful exchange with @JavierColominaP, #NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus & Central Asia. NATO-Georgia bilateral relations are positively developing. ???????? remains firm in its commitment towards #NATO & #EU membership. We hope that #NATO support… pic.twitter.com/oLP44jgX4n
— Shalva Papuashvili ???????? (@shpapuashvili) December 19, 2023
The last NATO-Georgia Commission meeting in Brussels earlier in December was positively evaluated at today’s meeting, he stressed.
Georgia’s plans to implement the nine steps, outlined by the European Commission for opening EU accession negotiations with the country, were also discussed by Papuashvili and Colomina. The conversation also touched on the 2024 parliamentary elections.
The visiting NATO official has also met Georgian Prime Irakli Garibashvili, President Salome Zourabichvili and Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze, and is set to meet with Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili.
Javier Colomina, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Tuesday said granting membership candidate status to Georgia by the European Union was “a historic moment” for the country, as well as for the international community, noting 2024 would be “critically important” for Georgia in this regard.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday hailed his country as one of NATO’s “most dependable” and “capable” partners in a Tbilisi meeting with Javier Colomina, the Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia of the bloc’s Secretary General.
Juansher Burchuladze, the Georgian Defence Minister, on Tuesday met Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, to discuss domestic defence reforms and progress achieved in strengthening the country’s capabilities and increasing its compatibility with the bloc.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili’s visit to NATO once again confirms the “comprehensive nature” of NATO-Georgia relations, Irakli Beraia, the Chair of the Defence and Security Committee of the country’s legislative body, said on Tuesday.
Priority matters of NATO-Georgia “political and practical” cooperation were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia.