Georgian, U.S. Defense Ministers Meet in Budapest

Military assistance to Georgia and Georgia’s NATO aspirations were discussed during talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his Georgian counterpart, Davit Kezerashvili, in Budapest on October 9.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO defense ministers.

After the talks, Kezerashvili told Georgian reporters that a Georgian delegation would visit the United States in late October to discuss issues “on which the U.S. may assist us.” 

According to official reports, U.S. military assistance will be aimed at strengthening Georgian air defenses.

“They [the American side] will do their best to persuade countries, which may still have particular doubts about granting MAP to Georgia,” Kezerashvili said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in St. Petersburg on October 2 that it was “too soon” for NATO to provide MAP to Georgia and Ukraine. A NATO ministerial meeting is due to discuss the issue in December.

Meanwhile, the NATO-Georgia Commission will hold its first session at ministerial level on October 10 to discuss political and security cooperation matters.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)