According to the NATO press service, NATO Allies reiterated their continued support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders. They reaffirmed the strategic importance of the Black Sea region for the Alliance, as highlighted in NATO’s Strategic Concept.
They also welcomed Georgia’s long-standing contributions to Euro-Atlantic security and underlined the importance attached to the partnership between NATO and Georgia, through political dialogue and practical cooperation on a wide range of areas, within the enhanced Substantial NATO-Georgia Package.
The meeting provided an opportunity “to review the role and significance of our partnership with Georgia following a turbulent year, where the very premises of the European security architecture are being challenged in word and deed by Russia, to exchange views on the direction and pace of Georgia’s reform efforts – within the context of the country’s Annual National Programme – and to address regional security issues,” NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană said.
NATO Allies took note of the steps undertaken by Georgia with respect to its ambitious reform programme, including the recent withdrawal of the “foreign agents” law. They urged the Georgian authorities to implement in full the agreed reforms, to uphold the rule of law and fundamental human rights, and to overcome the continued challenge posed by domestic political polarisation. Allies stressed that these steps are key to safeguard the well-being of all citizens of Georgia, to bolster the country’s resilience and security, and to boost the process of Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
