"NATO Engages: Innovating the Alliance”

By Natalia Kochiashvili

Thursday, December 5

FM Zalkaliani: “Stability of the Euro-Atlantic space cannot be ensured without stability on the Black Sea”. According to him, the Black Sea is important for NATO and Georgia is actively involved in this field in several practical directions.

James Appathurai: 'NATO is observing daily what is happening in Georgia, including at the so-called 'dividing line.'

NATO leaders gathered in London to begin a two-day Alliance summit. Minister of foreign affairs of Georgia Zalkaliani joined a discussion on security on NATO’s frontlines at the "NATO Engages: Innovating the Alliance”. The Minister addressed the forum participants at a session on security issues in the Baltic and Black Seas.

Speaking about the challenges in the Black Sea region, the Georgian FM outlined Russia's destructive policy towards Georgia, which still occupies 20 percent of Georgia's territory.

“Human rights and security are in a difficult situation. People are persecuted and illegally detained. We have consolidated the international community on this fact. We face a humanitarian catastrophe. On these issues, we are still actively consolidating the international community,” said Zalkaliani.

Speaking about "a humanitarian disaster" in Russian occupied regions, he also mentioned the recent sentencing of a well-known Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili in the Tskhinvali region.

Regarding Georgia's NATO integration, the Minister reiterated that Georgia's integration into NATO serves the country's security and democratic development and is not directed against any third party. According to him, Georgia is a successful aspirant country, which has all practical tools for membership and is actively preparing for the moment when the political decision on accession will come.

Zalkaniani said that the Bucharest Summit shows Georgia will become a member of the Alliance.

The minister also answered the moderator's question regarding Turkey, an important Black Sea country. Davit Zalkaliani underlined Georgia's strategic partnership with Turkey, noting Turkey's special contribution to Euro-Atlantic integration and the Black Sea security. He thanked Turkey for supporting Georgia's NATO integration and sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Georgian Foreign Minister called on NATO member states to unite.

"Keep Georgia on your mind" – Zalkaliani urged the attending audience in his closing remarks, which were greeted with applause.

The Georgian Foreign Minister spoke before the session devoted to Baltic and Black Sea security issues co-organized by the Atlantic Council, Munich Security Conference, Globsec and (Royal United Services Institute - RUSI). The session was attended by the Foreign Minister of Ukraine and the Defense Ministers of Romania, Lithuania and Estonia.

Later on, the Alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg commented with reporters:

“We support everyone, but now Macedonia is a great country, a great partner. We continue to support Georgia. We continue to provide political and practical support. We support and assist Georgia's aspiration to become a NATO member and today there is much more NATO represented in Georgia than ever before,” he said and added that Georgia is a worthy partner of NATO.

According to him the decision at the 2008 Bucharest summit that Georgia and Ukraine will become members of the alliance is in force, he didn’t name a specific date for NATO membership, saying NATO is focused on helping Georgia and Ukraine move forward on Euro-Atlantic integration.

“We will continue to monitor the political processes in Georgia, continue to support reforms to enhance Georgia's defense capability”, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said in London, where the NATO conference is being held. According to him, NATO observes the ongoing processes in Georgia daily.