Georgian FM, NATO official review “political, practical” cooperation
The officials “positively” assessed the past year’s “dynamic and substantive” cooperation agenda, the Georgian foreign office said. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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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.
The officials “positively” assessed the past year’s “dynamic and substantive” cooperation agenda, the Georgian foreign office said.
The meeting focused on the decision of the European Union to grant the country the membership candidate status earlier this month, which they said would also contribute to the process of the country’s accession to NATO.
The parties also reviewed the security environment in the Black Sea region, with Colomina once again confirming the “unwavering” support of the bloc for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
The officials also discussed the Washington Summit of the alliance, planned for 2024.
Darchiashvili thanked Colomina for his contribution to the progress in Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration process.
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.
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.
Ilia Darchiashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, on Wednesday met newly appointed non-resident ambassadors of Peru, Honduras, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso and Uganda to discuss bilateral ties and prospects of future cooperation.
Javier Colomina, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Sunday lauded the alliance’s “very good relations” with Georgia and stressed the bloc was motivated to make the existing partnership with Tbilisi “as strong as possible”.