NATO Secretary General says there is no specific date for Georgia’s accession to NATO
By Inga Kakulia
Tuesday, October 15
During the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Session in London, Georgia’s integration was the topic of multiple questions posed to the Secretary General.
During the session, the delegation of Slovenia asked Jens Stoltengbers, the NATO Secretary general, when would we see Georgia as a full member of NATO. Mr. Stoltenberg replied that Georgia would indeed become a member of NATO, but at the moment there isn’t a set date for the integration to begin.
According to the Secretary General, even without the full membership, NATO has a very strong partnership with Georgia. Jens Stoltenberg says that NATO supports Georgia's efforts to modernize and strengthen security and defense institutions.
“NATO’s door remains open. We proved it by allowing Montenegro to join. Montenegro became a 29th member of Alliance two years ago and soon Northern Macedonia will become the 30th member of Alliance. So for the past two years, we have proven that NATO’s door remains open. We have also clearly stated many times at different NATO summits that Georgia will become a NATO member, but we have no timeline for this process. We support Georgia’s efforts to modernize and strengthen its security and defense institutions to meet NATO standards. So this is an issue we are working on together with Georgia.
It is also important to remember that even without membership, we have seen more NATO in Georgia – we have a joint training and evaluation center in Georgia, we have more exercises, we have more NATO presence in Georgia than we ever have before. This is good for Georgia and good for NATO. So, without full membership, we have a very strong partnership with Georgia”, – Stoltenberg stated.
Irakli Beraia, a member of the Georgian Parliament asked was interested in whether Georgia's enlargement of Black Sea involvement would facilitate Georgia's NATO membership.
According to Jens Stoltenberg, the Black Sea is also part of the Georgia-NATO partnership.
"We are also working with Georgia in the Black Sea area, and everything you do to modernize and improve your defense and security institutions, including the maritime capability, will certainly help you get closer to NATO. We also work with your Coast Guard. So the Black Sea is also part of the cooperation between Georgia and NATO, "Jens Stoltenberg said.
The Assembly was positively assessed by the Georgian Delegation, including Sophio Katsarava, Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Parliament of Georgia.
“The committee work has been resumed by discussion. NATO-Russia relations and Georgia in this context has been actively represented. The issue of Georgia and Ukraine has been highlighted countless times, in the NATO-Russia relations context. NATO has reiterated its full support for Georgia in terms of security as well as Euro-Atlantic integration. The delegates voted and I hope that these documents will be approved at the plenary session as well,” noted Katsarava.
Irakli Sesiashvili, Chairman of Parliament's Committee on Defense and Security, told reporters in London that NATO-Georgia relations are characterized by high intensity and content.
“NATO member states recognize the progress and successes our country has made, appreciate our participation in international missions, and also support and assist us in developing our defense and security, which is very important. Yes, we need some time before NATO membership, but we must use this time ourselves to strengthen our country both economically and security-wise. We have real partners here, we may not be a member, but we are a strong partner in this family, which Ian Stoltenberg mentioned," said Sesiashvili.
