Georgian PM, US commander discuss Afghanistan's security
By Sabina Idayatova
Afghanistan's security was a key topic at a meeting of Commander of the U.S. forces in Europe James Stavridis and Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili held in Tbilisi on Wednesday.
The sides discussed the mission of Georgian servicemen in Afghanistan under the aegis of NATO.
Stavridis thanked Ivanishvili for Georgia's participation in the ISAF military operation, saying that the Georgian servicemen perform their duty in Afghanistan with honor and have proven themselves as excellent servicemen.
Georgia as a significant contributor to Euro-Atlantic security is actively involved in NATO-led operations and its contribution to the NATO-led ISAF operation in Afghanistan is of significant importance. Nowadays, Georgia is the second largest troop contributor to Afghanistan among the non-NATO states.
Ivanishvili thanked the U.S. for assistance to Georgia in the military field and said the command of U.S. armed forces in Europe acts the inspiration of this cooperation.
"This command is responsible for cooperation between Georgia and the U.S. in the military area and plays a very important role," Ivanishvili said.
Both sides called for intensifying the relations, which corresponds to the spirit of the Charter on Strategic Partnership.
On the same day, Stavridis met with Georgian Defense Minister
Irakli Alasania.
During the meeting, Stavridis said that NATO`s support to Georgia's
sovereignty and territorial integrity remains unchanged.
Alasania appraised the meeting with Stavridis, saying that they
were able to mull issues like partnership with NATO in general and
bilateral relations.
During the visit, Stavridis also met the Georgian military, who
have been injured in Afghanistan and was at the Krtsanisi training
ground outside Tbilisi, where Georgian troops undergo training for
the Afghan deployment.