The NATO Sec Gen’s Tbilisi Visit
Within the framework of an official visit to Georgia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Georgia’s Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze held a joint press conference.
During the conference, Stoltenberg expressed hope that Georgia will soon become a member of the Alliance.
“Georgia and NATO will jointly decide when Georgia should become a member, and no other party has the right to interfere,” he stated, calling on Russia to revoke its recognition of breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states and withdraw its troops from the regions.
He reiterated that NATO recognizes Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
“We welcome the increased role of Black Sea security. That is why we are strengthening relations between Georgia and NATO and this cooperation will strengthen in every direction,” Stoltenberg added.
“Georgia is the largest contributor to our initiatives, and I hope to welcome it to NATO soon," he emphasized.
Bakhtadze thanked him for supporting Georgia and underlined that relations between Georgia and NATO have never been at such a high level.
“NATO membership is the most important priority for Georgia's foreign and security policy, and the majority of Georgian society supports the country’s efforts to become a full member of NATO. This is further proof that our choice is not only a political one, but one based on values,” he stated.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani earlier stated that Stoltenberg’s visit to Tbilisi indicates that Georgia is a priority for NATO and noted that it took place ahead of the NATO anniversary ministerial.
“The whole week is extremely intense in the context of relations with NATO. The Secretary General’s visit also coincides with the NATO exercise. This week we also have a meeting of the NATO Military Committee,” he said. “And I have a separate meeting in Brussels, within the framework of the NATO-Georgia Council, which will be devoted to Black Sea security issues. Having such a loaded role on the NATO agenda throughout the week shows that Georgia has a high priority on the NATO political agenda,” he concluded.
By Thea Morrison