NATO Envoy Speaks of Georgia

NATO Secretary General?s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons said on December 14 in Moscow that the prospects of Georgia?s accession into NATO will be defined on the basis of implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) between Georgia and NATO, RIA Novosti reported.

Simmons said that Georgia has expressed a willingness to join NATO and the European Union, however it is not yet near the first stage of accession.

?We have stated that NATO will assess the parameters of implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) by Georgia and make a conclusion on a basis of this assessment regarding when Georgia will be able to take the path of its accession to NATO,? Robert Simmons said.

He reiterated that NATO respects Georgia?s territorial integrity and stresses the importance of a peaceful resolution to the Abkhaz and South Ossetian conflicts.

?In this respect we welcome the Georgian President?s recent proposals which emphasized the necessity for peaceful resolution of these conflicts,? the NATO envoy added.

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