PM Gakharia Meets with NATO Deputy Secretary General
At the NATO-Georgia Commission Meeting, taking place within the scope of the 5th North Atlantic Council (NAC) Meeting in Georgia’s coastal city Batumi and attended by Rose Gottemoeller, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Georgian Prime Minister Gioirgi Gakharia accentuated the symbolic meaning of choosing Batumi as the location for hosting the event due to the significance of the Black Sea security. He also focused on vital importance of the presence of NATO in the Black Sea, against the background of Crimea being annexed by the Russian Federation.
The Head of the Georgian Government spoke about the progress of Georgia made on the path towards the membership of NATO since 2002.
Rose Gottemoeller stated that this meeting is a great opportunity for enhancing cooperation between Georgia and NATO, noting that Georgia represents one of NATO’s closest operational partners.
“Last year, NATO Leaders reconfirmed their 2008 Bucharest Summit decision that Georgia will become a member of NATO,” stated NATO Deputy Secretary General.
Gottemoeller also said the NATO calls on the Russian Federation to withdraw military forces from the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and respect Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya
Image source: NATO Int.