Georgia will officially bid for NATO accession today. Georgian President Shevardnadze told students gathered at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague on November 21 that he would tell the alliance of "Georgia’s will to join the NATO" on November 22 at the summit in Czech capital.
"Membership of NATO means the final guarantee for security for Georgia," Shevardnadze said.
President stated, “one or two years will not be enough to become NATO member. We understand that it takes time.” He added, that Georgia is ready to wait until “we are really ready to become members."
He commented on Georgian-Russian relations and said that unsolved Abkhazian and South Ossetian problems make relations between the two countries tense. Eduard Shevardnadze also stressed that Russia should remove its military bases from Georgia, as it is indicated in the 1999 OSCE Istanbul summit agreement.
The NATO also calls Russia to withdraw its military bases from Georgia. “We urge swift fulfillment of the outstanding Istanbul commitments on Georgia and Moldova,” Prague Summit Declaration issued on November 21 says.
Eduard Shevardnadze admitted that Georgia “is not really prepared for NATO membership" at the moment. "But we must move closer to NATO standards," he said. President said that for NATO membership Georgia should overcome many problems and restore territorial integrity.
The NATO calls the countries aspired for the alliance membership to use the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP), which outlines necessary measure aspirant country should take in order to move closer to NATO standards.
“We have introduced new practical mechanisms, such as Individual Partnership Action Plans, which will ensure a comprehensive, tailored and differentiated approach to the Partnership, and which allow for support to the reform efforts of Partners. We encourage Partners, including the countries of the strategically important regions of the Caucasus and Central Asia, to take advantage of these mechanisms,” Prague Summit Declaration issued on November 21 says.
According to the MAP aspirant countries are expected to achieve certain goals in the political and economic fields. These include settling any international, ethnic or external territorial disputes by peaceful means; demonstrating a commitment to the rule of law and human rights; establishing democratic control of their armed forces; and promoting stability and well-being through economic liberty, social justice and environmental responsibility.
The MAP says, “defence and military issues [of the MAP] focus on the ability of the country to contribute to collective defence and to the Alliance’s new missions. Full participation in PfP [Partnership for Peace program] is an essential component”.
Georgia, whose armed forces suffer with extreme lack of funding, has really much to do to comply with NATO Membership Action Plan. According to the Georgian Defense Ministry the MoD’s budgetary shortfall has already exceeded 11 million Lari this year. Georgia could not participate in the 24 activities held in the frames of the NATO PfP program because of lack of finances.