Saakashvili: ‘Georgia Has Real Chance to Join NATO in 2014’

Georgia has “a real chance” to become NATO member in 2014, President Saakashvili said on June 25, while speaking about parliamentary elections planned for October.

“Not only we will maintain our course towards prosperity and European integration – and in 2014 we have a real chance to become a NATO member and it also will actually be decided in October [elections] – but the following months will mark huge steps ahead in this direction,” Saakashvili said.

After NATO summit in Chicago President Saakashvili said on May 21, that Georgia would be in the best possible “shape” for next NATO summit and there would be no reason to reject Georgia’s membership to the alliance.

“The next summit will probably take place in 2014 and I think that Georgia will have a very good chances; I’ve never been so sure about it as I am now,” Saakashvili said on May 21. “If our progress continues – and it will definitely continue – we will be in the best shape for the next summit and it will be extremely difficult to explain by that time why Georgia should not be accepted to join the NATO; of course much work has to be done,” he said.