Bakradze Hails Obama NATO Remarks

Davit Bakradze, the Georgian Parliamentary Chairman, said he was “glad” to hear U.S. President, Barack Obama, saying that NATO doors remain open for nations aspiring to join the alliance.

“This is the position and the policy which we really welcome since this is the policy and the position by which the United States continues to support the process of Georgia’s NATO membership. I am glad that President Obama made a decision to publicly voice his firm position over this issue,” Bakradze, who currently is visiting the United States, said.

The U.S. President said after meeting with NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, in Washington on March 25: “We’ve also discussed the role that NATO plays with respect to Russia and how this administration, my administration, is seeking a reset of the relationship with Russia, but in a way that’s consistent with NATO membership and consistent with the need to send a clear signal throughout Europe that we are going to continue to abide by the central belief that countries who seek and aspire to join NATO are able to join NATO.”

The NATO Secretary General said: “We have many things on which we disagree, but NATO needs Russia and Russia needs NATO, so let’s work on the things we agree on, and let’s not hide our disagreements and let us realize that also this relationship can and in my opinion should be — should be strengthened… as President Obama said a moment ago, NATO’s door will stay open for new members if they perform – if they fulfill the criteria.”

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