The NATO-Georgia Commission met in Brussels on March 7 to discuss “how to enhance Georgia’s partnership and connectivity with the Alliance,” NATO said in a press release.
The NATO-Georgia Commission is a main mechanism through which NATO-Georgia cooperation is supervised, including implementation of reform targets set in Georgia’s Annual National Programme (ANP), which is reviewed annually by the Alliance.
Secretary of National Security Council, Giga Bokeria, represented Georgia at the meeting.
NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, thanked Georgia for its “remarkable contribution” to Afghan operations.
“We also appreciate your decision to almost double your contribution,” Rasmussen said on March 7. “Today we also have an opportunity to reinforce further the cooperation between NATO and Georgia through supporting Georgia’s reforms”.
During the NATO-Georgia Commission meeting a set of measures was agreed “to further support the reform process in Georgia, including strengthening civil service reform, inter-operability with the Alliance, as well the capacity for civil democratic oversight of the defense and security sector in Georgia,” NATO said in the press release.
Speaking at a news conference on March 5 Rasmussen said that upcoming NATO summit in Chicago in May would reiterate the Alliance’s open door policy and “no third country, no third party can make decisions on behalf of NATO.”
He also said that a decision of 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest stands and Georgia will become a NATO member “of course provided that Georgia fulfills necessary criteria.”