Defense Minister, NATO Officials Meet in Brussels

Today, Defense Minister Levan Izoria discussed NATO-Georgia relations with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, on the sidelines of NATO Defense Ministerial being held in Brussels on February 13-14. 

Defense Ministry reported, that Izoria spoke with Stoltenberg and Gottemoeller about Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration, the country’s role in ensuring regional and international security, as well as its defense reforms, and NATO-Georgia exercise. 

Minister Izoria noted in his remarks following the meeting, that this year NATO and Georgia have “an unprecedented dynamic of deepening relations,” and that there will be “more NATO in Georgia” – noting, among others, upcoming joint exercises and strategic meetings scheduled in March. 

In Brussels, Levan Izoria met with the U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison as well. On her news briefing a day earlier, Ambassador Hutchison said “Georgia particularly is so much a part, as a partner of NATO in our missions.”

“They are as much a producer of defense for our missions as any of our allies, and we appreciate and acknowledge that and hope that they will always be close with us in whatever capacity,” the Ambassador said. 

In upcoming meetings, Minister Izoria will discuss deepening defense cooperation with his counterparts from Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania and Turkey. 

The Georgian Defense Minister will further travel to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference on February 15-17.

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