NATO senior official to visit Georgia
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
Everything is OK to move forward with Georgia's aspiration for Euro-Atlantic structures, a high-ranking NATO official said.
Alexander Vershbow, NATO Deputy Secretary General, spoke about his upcoming visit to Tbilisi and NATO training center planned to be opened in Georgia, in his interview with Georgian TV channel.
Vershbow said the Alliance once again reaffirmed its commitment to the decision adopted at the Bucharest Summit in 2088 and strongly supported Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
"The NATO training center in Georgia will be opened by the end of 2015 and will have a symbolic, political and practical importance. This is a demonstration of NATO’s stance on Georgia," he noted.
The exact opening date and the place where the center will be built have not been yet decided, said Vershbow, adding that more details will be revealed following his visit to Tbilisi on January 29.
"We are still working on model of cooperation in practice. I can tell you that Georgia will have an access to NATO consultations, it attends different types of exercises, which in turn will help its armed forces to fully meet the NATO standards," Vershbow said.
He noted that Georgia has made a significant contribution to strengthening Euro-Atlantic security. He appreciated Georgia's participation in the ISAF operations and Resolute Support, a new post-ISAF mission of NATO.
Moreover, the alliance expressed its readiness to take an active role in Georgia's efforts to realize the substantial package offered by NATO at the Wales Summit last year.
"Visiting Georgia is the best way to assess the country as a NATO ally-country, as well as its progress on way to NATO. For now we will have experts and advisers group in Georgia to work together on opening of NATO-Georgia joint training center. We will prepare a basis and place to co-conduct exercises in Georgia’s territory,” Vershbow said.
Vershbow is expected to have talks also on strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law and the judiciary in his meeting with the Georgian top officials during a forthcoming visit to Tbilisi.
- - -
Follow Mushvig Mehdiyev on Twitter: @Mushviggo
Follow us on Twitter: @AzerNews