Georgia’s NATO Ambassador says Sec Gen country’s “strong supporter, friend” ahead of visit

Viktor Dolidze, Georgia's Ambassador to NATO, on Monday said Jens Stoltenberg, the alliance’s Secretary General, was a “strong supporter and friend” of Georgia ahead of the official’s visit to the country.

Stoltenberg will meet President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday as part of his visit.

Personally, Secretary General Stoltenberg is a strong supporter and friend of Georgia, [and] supports us both in implementing and enhancing our aspirations, as well as in carrying out reforms and increasing defence capabilities”, Dolidze said.

“He knows the region and our country very well. We are grateful that in such a critical situation, parallel to the turbulent processes taking place in the world, he will come to Georgia, and we will discuss a wide range of issues of our cooperation”, he concluded.

An Annual Report of the Secretary General of NATO on Thursday said Georgia was one of NATO’s “closest” partners” and an aspiring member of the alliance.