Saakashvili Speaks of Relations with NATO

President Saakashvili said on April 19 that in 2007 Georgia would be ready for the next stage of integration into NATO and expected to become a candidate for NATO membership ?in the nearest months.?

President Saakashvili made these remarks while opening the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s 65th Rose-Roth seminar in Tbilisi, which will last until April 21.

?In autumn Georgia will complete the Intensified Dialogue with NATO. The last NATO fact-finding missions left Georgia with extremely positive conclusions. Georgia has implemented the technical side perfectly. Now a political decision should be made. I hope that this decision will be made by those politicians, who are capable of giving a positive answer to the most serious issues,? President Saakashvili said.

He noted that the role of the NATO parliamentarians would be decisive in terms of Georgia?s NATO integration.

?This issue should not be a matter of realpolitics and it should not be decided according to what the [Russian] gas price is. We never change our decisions based on gas prices for Georgia, which is not a rich country, and I am sure that there are higher values rather than just utilitarian concerns and I see that the movement of support is expanding? We expect from you to deepen this process,? Saakashvili said while addressing the participants of the seminar.

He also said that Georgia was willing to restore the historical ties with Europe, as ?it has much deeper roots, than the recent political or economic developments.?

He also stressed the common front amongst all political forces in Georgia towards the country?s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. In March the Georgian Parliament unanimously adopted a declaration supporting Georgia?s NATO membership.

?Of course, Georgia will become a member of the North Atlantic Alliance? and I am sure that we have reached a historical stage, when a centuries-long dream of the Georgian people to become a member of the leading clubs, and NATO is one of the most leading places where we would like to stay, will come true and our generation of politicians will make it happen with your help and recommendations,? President Saakashvili added.

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