Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

An extended meeting of the North Atlantic Council, NATO's senior political decision-making body, was held in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on June 27 with the participation of members of the Council and the Georgian parliament.

The meeting was opened by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Georgian Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili.

According to Rasmussen, Georgia has made progress in the integration into NATO and now it is "close to the alliance as ever."

The Georgian parliament speaker said his country is proud to be involved in ensuring international security.

According to Usupashvili, Georgia understands that it should improve as a democratic state to become a full-fledged member of NATO.

"We are confident that the application for 2008 for Georgia's membership in NATO is bound to be realized," he said.

Earlier, Rasmussen said at a joint press conference with Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili that Georgian servicemen are in Afghanistan in order not to ensure the country's accession to NATO, but are acting in accordance with the UN mandate.

NATO is working with Georgia to reform the security forces and to make them more professional, Rasmussen said.

Ivanishvili and Rasmussen also expressed their concern over the deterioration of the situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.

"Actions of the Russian military forces on the installation of barbwire along the administrative border between Georgia and South Ossetia are astonishingas they do not bring advantages to Russia, but harm it and raise questions," Ivanishvili said.

Ivanishvili said that Russia's actions in conflict zones are not clear amid improving economic relations between the two countries.

"These actions cause confusion against the background of changes in our relations," he said.

The Georgian prime minister noted that the strategic way to improve relations with Russia will not change.

"We will do everything possible to improve our relations with Russia and for these relations not to impede Georgia's accession to the alliance," he said.

"Russia will not like Georgia's accession to NATO," he added. "But we will be able to explain our position."

Rasmussen also called on Russia to fully implement the agreements dated August 12, 2008.

After meeting with Ivanishvili Rasmussen said he hopes Georgia will ensure the rule of law and cohabitation.

"Today and tomorrow we will have an opportunity to assess the progress made by Georgia," Rasmussen said. "I hope you will be able to ensure the rule of law and cohabitation in the country, which is necessary for the well-being of Georgia. Comprehensive Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia is our common goal. If Georgia meets the necessary requirements, it will definitely become a member of NATO."

"Georgia must ensure presidential elections in October meet democratic standards," Rasmussen told Prime Minister Ivanishvili, who is locked in a bitter political dispute with the outgoing president.

The 2013 presidential election in Georgia is scheduled for October. This will be the 6th presidential election after the country's declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The last one, held on January 5, 2008, resulted in the election of Mikheil Saakashvili for his second and final presidential term. According to the constitution, Saakashvili cannot run for a third consecutive term.

Upon the inauguration of a new president in 2013, a series of constitutional amendments passed in the parliament of Georgia from 2010 to 2013 will go into effect. The amendments envisage significant reduction of the President's powers in favor of the Prime Minister.