NATO to mull cooperation with Georgia on security in Black Sea
By Kamila Aliyeva
North Atlantic Treaty Organization will discuss the strengthening of cooperation on the security situation in the Black Sea with Georgia at a ministerial meeting on December 6.
This was stated by NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference on the eve of a meeting of foreign ministers of the alliance in Brussels.
The foreign ministers of NATO countries will hold a regular meeting on December 5-6. The meeting of the Georgia-NATO Commission is scheduled for December 6.
“We will consider areas in which we can cooperate even more closely, including security in the Black Sea,” Stoltenberg told journalists presenting the agenda of the upcoming meeting.
He also added that rumors about the resignation of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will not undermine the effectiveness of the meeting.
“We have seen many times that the alliance and the ministers of NATO countries are able to focus on the most important tasks, the work that we need to do despite all the speculation and rumors. I am absolutely sure that the same will happen now,” he said.
Georgia is an aspirant for NATO membership. It actively contributes to NATO-led operations and cooperates with allies and other partner countries in many other areas.
At the Bucharest Summit in April 2008, Allied Heads of State and Government agreed that Georgia will become a member of NATO. This decision was subsequently reconfirmed at successive NATO Summits. The NATOGeorgia Commission (NGC) provides the framework for cooperation between NATO and Georgia.
Created in September 2008, the NGC serves as a forum for both political consultations and practical cooperation to help Georgia advance its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
In December 2008, NATO foreign ministers decided to further enhance the NGC through the development of an Annual National Programme (ANP). In addition to Georgia’s contributions to EuroAtlantic peace and stability, key areas of cooperation under the Annual National Programme include political, military and security-sector reforms.
NATO supports Georgia in these reforms by providing focused and comprehensive advice and activities in several frameworks, both civilian and military.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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