President appeals to Georgian Dream on NATO collaboration
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, October 15
The democratically held elections led the country closer to NATO-the President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili stated on October 12. He also spoke on the details of the telephone conversation between him and the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The President highlighted that Rasmussen “personally” invited him to the 58th NATO Parliamentary Assembly, where Saakashvili will be the main speaker. Saakashvili also called on the new government to continue with the close partnership concerning Georgia’s path to the organization.
According to the President, the NATO Ministerial is scheduled for December where the organization will be able to make new decisions. The President highlighted that in this situation agreed and collaborative action between the main political parties in the country is essential.
“As President, I am ready to do everything for this within my remaining one-year term in the conditions where everyone has recognized these elections as an example of democracy. If we do keep a democratic framework in Georgia…of course we have a lot more to do. We really have this opportunity,” Saakashvili said.
The President did not forget the Russian factor and emphasized that Russia does not have a problem with the leaders or government of the country. The President underscored that even the coalition members would guess that the problem between the Russian Federation and Georgia is fundamental and it is the independence of Georgia.
“So this is why, like never before, it is necessary to strengthen the Euro-Atlantic course of Georgia,” the President suggested.
After the statement the head of the Security Council, Giga Bokeria, visited the coalition leader, Bidzina Ivanishvili. After the meeting, Bokeria stated that the conversation concerned Georgia’s foreign policy.
Bokeria underscored that he arrived at Ivanishvili’s residential house based on the President’s instructions.
"As the Georgian president has repeatedly stated, there are substantial, serious, fundamental differences between our teams and these differences have not eliminated and probably will not be reduced in the future. However, the country’s security and defending Georgia from foreign threats as well as maintaining the country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations are the most significant issues we should collaborate on,” Bokeria stated.
Bokeria emphasized that the UNM is ready to collaborate and continue talks with the Ivanishvili's government on Georgia's Euro-Atlantic issues.
On its side the coalition has already stated that Georgia’s foreign course will not change and the country will continue its way to NATO and the EU. The coalition leader has especially emphasized that Georgia will become a NATO member country.
The candidate on Foreign Minister’s post from the coalition, Maia Panjikidze stated that integration into NATO and the EU remains the country's priority and “concerning the issues we will have consultations with the representatives of the UNM,” Panjikidze said.
