NATO Ministerial to Publish a Declaration Regarding Georgia

The NATO Ministerial will open in Brussels today. One of the main issues of the meeting will be Montenegro’s accession into the alliance.

According to the information, an official statement will be made concerning the Alliance’s future cooperation with aspirant countries, including Georgia.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg yesterday at the press conference responded to a Georgian journalist, saying that at the last meeting of the NATO Defense ministers, it was underlined that the Alliance would find a way to evaluate Georgia’s progress.

It is not yet clear what kind of decision will be made. Stoltenberg stated comments on the issue could only be made after the publication of an official declaration.

Reuters published an article last week concerning Georgia’s hopes and the existing situation in NATO to grant Georgia’s membership.

“NATO allies are split over what message to send Georgia over its long-delayed membership bid, diplomats said, with some European capitals arguing the alliance would be unable to defend the ex-Soviet state in the event of a conflict with Russia,” the publication read.

The Georgian PM yesterday stated that they do not want to create any special expectations regarding NATO. Garibashvili stated that this is on the recommendation of the Alliance Secretary General and other Partner countries.

On the other hand, Georgia’s Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli champions the notion that Georgia will get the Membership Action Plan (MAP) or even possible the alliance membership itself. The next NATO summit will be held in July next year in Warsaw.