Stoltenberg Says NATO Will Continue to Enlarge Despite Russia's Objections

TBILISI - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is paying a two-day visit to Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, said Georgia’s progress in developing its democracy and defensive capacities guarantees an opportunity to become an Alliance member in the future.

Stoltenberg pointed to NATO’s 2008 declaration the Georgia should become a member, adding Montenegro’s recent ascension is an example of the Alliance’s open door policy.

“To become a member of NATO, Georgia has to meet the standards and requirements for membership, and that’s exactly why we are working together with the Georgian government to make this happen,” Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

“You are continuing to strengthen your democracy and civic institutions. This has helped Georgia move closer to NATO and the West. You are not walking alone on your reform path,” Stoltenberg added.

Despite Georgia’s progress toward full Euro-Atlantic aspiration, an exact date when the alliance will open the door to membership for the small former Soviet republic remains up in the air.

Stoltenberg, however, emphasized that at the July NATO Summit in Warsaw, Alliance leaders welcomed the impressive progress Georgia has made and said the look forward to Georgia maintaining the same course to one day become a full member.

“I think that the presence of the North Atlantic Council that represents all 28 Allies and also Montenegro, which is now in the process of officially joining NATO, the shows the strong commitment and partnership between NATO and Georgia. We are here in Tbilisi to confirm our commitment to your nation once again,” Stoltenberg said.

Asked if Russia will play any role when it comes to NATO’s decision regarding Georgia’s integration to the Alliance, Stoltenberg was quick to emphatically emphasize that despite Moscow’s hostile posture towards NATO and the Kremlin’s repeated tantrums over its plans to enlarge, play no role in the decision-making process of the Alliance.

“No one else has the right to interfere or veto NATO’s decision,” Stoltenberg said.

Speaking about the meeting with Stoltenberg, Kvirikashvili said, “Georgia will continue its consistent reform efforts and wait patiently for the right window of opportunity to join NATO.”

“The overwhelming majority of the Georgian population supports NATO membership. I want to reassure our partners that this progress will be maintained, and Georgia will achieve its eventual goal of becoming a member,” Kvirikashvili said.

The upcoming October parliamentary elections will be an important benchmark for Georgia’s democratic standards, NATO officials said on the sidelines of the meeting. They added that the elections are vital to shaping the Alliance’s overall picture of Georgia, as NATO is a community of democratic values, the rule of law and human rights.

The North Atlantic Council, chaired by Stoltenberg, is visiting Georgia for the fourth time.

The Alliance members will meet President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the speaker of Georgia’s outgoing parliament David Usupashvili.

By Tamar Svanidze

Edited by Nicholas Waller