NATO-Georgia Commission at Defense Ministers Level

NATO-Georgia Commission met on a sideline of NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels on June 11.

“NATO’s decision to open door to Georgia still stands, but lot of reform still needs to be done. The Alliance will continue to support and guide those reforms, in particular in democratic, civilian oversight of defense and security force,” NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said in his opening remarks for the press before the meeting.

Bacho Akhalaia, the Georgian defense minister, told the meeting in his opening remarks that Annual National Program with NATO was proceeding “successfully.”

“Despite security challenges we are vigorously moving forward,” Akhalaia said.

The NATO Secretary General thanked Georgia for “significant” contribution to the Afghan operations.

At a news conference after the meeting Rasmussen said that the Georgian Defense Minister heard from his counterparts “a strong message of support for Georgia’s territorial integrity.”

“They reiterated that NATO’s Door remains open to Georgia, when it meets the standards,” he said.
 
“But of course, that day is not yet here. There is a long road of reform still to follow. The recent elections were an encouraging sign, and NATO will continue to support Georgia’s reforms,” Rasmussen added.

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