Georgia’s Minister holds meetings in US ahead of EU, NATO summits

Georgia’s Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration has held meetings with US Department of State officials ahead of the Eastern Partnership meeting and NATO summit.

Minister Viktor Dolidze met Bridget Brink, US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, and US Department of State European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau EU Office director.

The meetings concerned Georgia’s integration issues into the EU and NATO ahead of the EU Eastern Partnership meeting scheduled in November and preparations for the next NATO summit.

“The US is Georgia’s key strategic partner and its support to Europeans would be of high importance. This will be significant for out more integration into the EU,” Dolidze stated.

Dolidze highlighted successful fulfillment of the Georgia-EU Association Agreement, as well as the situation in breakaway regions of the country.

The Minister stated that the situation in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions created security threats for the whole regional stability.

The meetings were also dedicated to the importance of raising public awareness to neutralize the anti-Western propaganda in Georgia.

Both the Eastern Partnership meeting and the NATO summit are very important for Georgia as each are steps forward to membership in the EU and NATO, which means more stability for Georgia in the long term perspective.

The NATO summit is especially important, and the country is eager to gain a Membership Action Plan (MAP) from the Alliance. Georgia was not offered MAP in 2014, however, NATO officials declared at that time they would implement “substantive package” of cooperation. Up to present, particularly in 2017, a number of joint trainings with NATO member states have taken place in Georgia.

Today, the MAP will be the key and a very visible indicator for Georgia that NATO’s door is really open. The US support for both Georgia’s aspirations to the EU and NATO are also essential.

Georgia requires strong international support to somehow suspend Russia’s occupation and halt its creeping occupation on Georgian soil.