2018-07-18
Mamuka Bakhtadze, Prime Minister of Georgia:
Thank you dear Secretary General for this very supportive and kind words. On my first official visit to Brussels, as a Prime Minister of Georgia, I have held a very fruitful meeting with NATO.
The Government of Georgia is fully committed to achieve NATO membership.
During the meeting, we have discussed decisions made at the last NATO Summit. We have focused on how Summit decisions move Georgia closer to NATO membership. We have also planned our coordinated efforts in this regard for the very near future.
We have reviewed the most important practical deliverables of the Summit.
We are enhancing our cooperation on Black Sea Security. We will have more active naval cooperation as well as extended mutual situational awareness.
Speaking on defense reforms in Georgia and NATO's contribution in this regard, we have noted that the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package - the so-called SNGP - is delivering results. At the summit we agreed to further enhance this process in areas like counter-mobility, secure communications and cyber defense.
Next year we will host joint NATO-Georgia exercise and NATO pledged to participate broadly in the exercise.
We have discussed Georgia's contributions to international security and to NATO operations and missions, including the contribution to the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and to the NATO Response Force.
I have pledged that Georgia, as a future member of NATO, will continue its contribution to common Euro-Atlantic security.
We are thankful for Allies' firm stance towards Russia to reverse its recognition of the so-called independence and withdraw its military forces from occupied territories of Georgia. Mr. Stoltenberg reaffirmed the Alliance's strong support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
We all agree that the reforms successfully implemented by Georgia, together with the assistance provided by the NATO will contribute to our ultimate goal to become a full member of NATO.
The Bucharest Summit Decision that Georgia will become a NATO member state was reiterated in Brussels just a week ago and our joint efforts are directed to implement this very important decision.
And once again I would like to thank you Mr. Stoltenberg personally for your continued support of Georgia on this very important path for our country and our nation. Thank you!
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO:
Prime Minister Bakhtadze, it is a great pleasure and honor to welcome you here at the NATO Headquarters, to this new building and also to express my gratitude to Georgia and to you personally for the many contributions you are making to NATO missions and operations, to our NATO response force and to our partnership in general. We are extremely grateful for a close cooperation and for all the things we do together, because that is good for NATO and it is good for Georgia.
Especially, I would like to particularly mention your contribution to our resolute support mission in Afghanistan. Georgia has for many year been one of the largest force contributors to the resolute support mission and your brave troops have helped us prevent Afghanistan once again becoming a safe haven for international terrorism.
I also appreciate the fact that you are exercising together with the NATO troops. I have met the Georgian troops both in Afghanistan and during NATO exercises. The fact that you are part of the NATO response force shows that your troops and forces meet the highest standards of NATO and are able to participate in NATO exercises, missions and operations.
We fully support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations. At the Summit last week all 29 allies reaffirmed that Georgia will become a member of NATO. This is in line with the decision we made at our Bucharest Summit in 2008. We continue to work with you to prepare for membership. Georgia has made an impressive progress on reforms, including on economic development, more effective security and defense institutions and modernizing your armed forces.
It is important that these efforts continue. The Substantial NATO-Georgia Package is already bolstering your country's defense, including the NATO-Georgia joint training, centered outside Tbilisi.
I also expect a broad allied participation in next year's NATO-Georgia exercise.
Today we also discussed the security situation in and around the Black Sea region and Russia's substantial NATO build-up in the region. The Black Sea is of strategic importance and NATO and Georgia are stepping up our cooperation in the area with a training for the Georgian coast guard and border teams, with more interaction with Georgian and NATO naval forces and with cooperation between Georgia's joint maritime operation center and NATO shipping center.
So, Prime Minister, NATO is united in our support for Georgia's security and its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. This includes the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
We call on Russia to withdraw its forces from your country.
So, Prime Minister, once again thank you for being here, at the NATO Headquarters today. The relationship between NATO and your country is stronger than ever. So, once again, welcome!