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Georgian Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration Meets NATO Secretary General

Georgian Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Viktor Dolidze met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on January 17.

“Thankful for [your] firm support of Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” Viktor Dolidze posted on his Twitter following the meeting.

 
“The sides discussed Georgia’s NATO integration process and the future cooperation plans with the Alliance … The meeting participants noted that the integration process is developing dynamically and will successfully continue in 2017 as well,” the State Minister’s office reported.

“We covered practically all fields [of our cooperation], including the defense reform, the 2016 Annual Action Plan … [2016] was a busy year… and 2017 will be no less busy. There will be a Defense Ministerial in February, NATO Military Committee visit in Tbilisi, NATO Public Diplomacy Forum in April, NATO Parliamentary Assembly in May,” Viktor Dolidze said after the meeting.

Following the meeting with NATO Secretary General, State Minister Dolidze and Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua attended the NATO-Georgia Commission, where the sides discussed the implementation of the 2016 Annual Action Plan.

At the meeting, Allies welcomed “Georgia’s progress in implementing key reforms,” and its conduct of parliamentary elections in October, 2016. They also praised Georgia’s “major contributions” to NATO operations, including the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, according to NATO press release.

“The Commission also discussed the implementation of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, launched in 2014 to help Georgia improve its defense capabilities and move towards NATO membership,” the press release said.

“Several ambassadors highlighted the important work done by the Joint Training and Evaluation Centre, which hosted a NATO-Georgia exercise for the first time in November 2016,” it added.

According the State Minister’s office, Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Dondua briefed the ambassadors on the vision of Georgia with regards to the security situation in and around the Black Sea. Dondua stressed the importance of the ongoing strategic discussions between NATO and Georgia and added that NATO’s active engagement in the Black Sea will contribute to strengthening the security of Georgia and the whole region.

In turn, the Secretary General stated that, "in response to new challenges, NATO is increasing its presence in the Black Sea region with several Allies set to contribute forces and capabilities," according to NATO press release.

Georgian officials will also hold at a meeting with the Military Committee, NATO’s highest military authority on January 18. “With Georgia, discussions will focus on continued defense reform progress and achievements and the way ahead for the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package Implementation,” NATO press service reported.

The Military Committee meets three times a year, at the level of Chiefs of Defence to discuss NATO operations and missions and provide the North Atlantic Council with consensus-based military advice on how the Alliance can best meet global security challenges.