NATO Secretary-General: Georgia Should Make More Progress in Defense Reform

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said after talks with visiting Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli in Brussels on November 28 that NATO?s doors are open, but Georgia still has much to do in respect of defense reform.

?If we look at the legislative process in Georgia much progress has been made. There is still a lot of things to do of course – mainly and most importantly in the sector of defense reform, where more progress should be made,? Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said.

“A transparent, affordable, sound and democratically-controlled defence system is vital to the success of reforms,” he added.

He said that NATO supports Georgia on its ?long and winding road? of reforms ?because we all know that reforms which Georgia has to undertake are not easy.?

?Needless to say, NATO?s doors are open; needless to say that NATO will support Georgia wherever it needs assistance in implementing those difficult reforms,? he said, adding that the Georgian leadership is ?motivated? to implement reform goals.

But he said that he can not say anything about the dates when Georgia might become a member of the alliance.

?Because this process on the road to NATO integration is a performance-based process. It depends on the way Georgia is performing,? the NATO Secretary-General added.

He thanked Georgia for its contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and peacekeeping operation in Kosovo and described Georgia as ?an exporter of security.?

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