Georgian President, NATO Secretary General Hold Phone Talk

On May 5, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili held a phone talk with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the “unprecedented challenge” that the COVID-19 pandemic represents to NATO Allies and partners.

Praising Georgia’s efforts in fighting against the pandemic, Jens Stoltenberg said that “following Georgia’s request” NATO Allies have  provided support to Georgia, including with medical supplies from Poland and the United Kingdom, as well as with bilateral financial assistance and medical supplies from the United States. 

According to Stoltenberg, “NATO is well aware of Georgia’s requirements and that more coordination is ongoing for additional assistance in the context of the pandemic.”

NATO Secretary General stated that “the crisis has shown the key role that the militaries are playing in support of national civilian efforts, and the importance of NATO mechanisms to coordinate assistance.”

Calling NATO and Georgia “unique and long-standing partners,” Stoltenberg confirmed the Alliance’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders. 

Stoltenberg then thanked President Zurabishvili for Georgia’s “outstanding contributions” to Euro-Atlantic security, including with its participation in NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. 

He also added that the NATO-Georgia partnership “contains practical and political tools to support Georgia’s ongoing reforms and to help prepare Georgia’s membership of the euro-Atlantic community when the moment is right.”

On her part, President Zurabishvili expressed hope that despite postponement of some of the NATO-led military drills in Europe amid the coronavirus pandemic, Georgia will be able to host drills the next year. 

According to the Georgian President, despite ongoing coronavirus pandemic Georgia is “strengthening relations” with the EU and NATO. 

President Zurabishvili also welcomed Georgia-NATO cooperation on two strategic directions of the Black Sea security and cybersecurity. 

On May 4-5, President Zurabishvili held phone talks with the Presidents of North Macedonia, Serbia and Romania, Stevo Pendarovski, Aleksandar Vućić and Klaus Iohannis, respectively. She also spoke with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel on the importance of “European solidarity” and the need to make sure that the Georgia-EU “rapprochement not only remains intact, but is strengthened after the pandemic.”

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NATO’s Stoltenberg: ‘We will continue to work closely with Georgia’

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