Georgian PM Meets Stoltenberg in Brussels

Within the framework of an official visit to Brussels, Mamuka Bakhtadze, Prime Minister of Georgia was hosted by NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, who praised Georgia’s carried out and planned reforms and vowed to support Georgia.

Attention was paid to the significant past and planned steps of the Government of Georgia towards approximation with the North Atlantic Alliance standards. 

The Secretary General of NATO once again noted the solid support of the Alliance towards the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia.

He also thanked the Prime Minister of Georgia for the contribution of the country to the Euro-Atlantic security, especially in the current NATO operations in Afghanistan.

After the meeting, the sides made an official statement for the press, seeing Stoltenberg underline that Georgia has for many years been one of the largest force contributors to the resolute support mission and Georgian peacekeepers helped NATO fight terrorism.

"The fact that you are part of the NATO response force shows that your troops and forces meet the highest standards of NATO and are able to participate in NATO exercises, missions and operations,” Stoltenberg stated, and reaffirmed that Georgia will become a member of NATO.

“We fully support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations…We continue to work with you to prepare for membership. Georgia has made impressive progress on reforms, including on economic development, more effective security and defense institutions and modernizing your armed forces,” he said.

NATO Secretary General called on the Russian Federation to withdraw its forces from Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

By Thea Morrison