Azernews.Az

By Jamila Babayeva

Georgia should take more decisive steps towards integration into NATO.

Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze made the remark at a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in Tbilisi, on May 8.

"The NATO summit in Bucharest showed that Georgia will become the alliance's member," she said. "Georgia should take more decisive steps towards integration into NATO and we hope that the alliance's summit in Wales will be one of such steps."

Georgia is actively preparing for the NATO Wales summit on September 4-5, 2014 and intends to get a NATO Membership Action Plan.

Panjikidze expressed hope for UK's support in this issue.

She further underscored Georgia's readiness to actively participate in the peacekeeping operations carried out by the international community.

Hague, for his part, appreciated Georgia's services in ensuring the international security.

"I'm well aware of Georgian servicemen's participation in the peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, as well as their losses. We appreciate this and sympathize with the Georgian people," he said. "We are ready to support Georgia in its integration into NATO. The permanent representative of UK Defense Ministry is here to assist Georgia to carry out necessary reforms for integration into NATO."