From NATO: The NATO-Georgia Commission (NGC) at Ambassadorial level met in Tbilisi today with the participation of the Georgian Prime Minister. . . .
Allied Ambassadors, together with the Prime Minister of Georgia, reaffirmed the central role of the NGC and the Annual National Programme (ANP) in supervising the process set in hand at the Bucharest Summit. . . .
The NGC welcomed the deepening NATO-Georgia cooperation in the defence and security fields.
Allied Ambassadors recalled the agreement of Heads of State and Government at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that Georgia will become a member of NATO, and reaffirmed all elements of that decision, as well as subsequent decisions. . . .
NATO Ambassadors welcomed Georgia’s pledge not to use force and Georgia’s full compliance with the EU-mediated cease-fire agreement. NATO Ambassadors recalled the decisions taken at the Lisbon Summit, notably the decision to urge Russia to meet its commitments with respect to Georgia, as mediated by the European Union on 12 August and 8 September 20081. NATO Ambassadors welcomed the Georgian Government’s engagement policy with the populations of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia and encouraged Georgia’s further engagement with the population of these regions.
The NGC also discussed concrete measures to enhance Georgia’s relations with NATO and agreed to pursue further work to:
- Broaden and deepen the political dialogue and practical cooperation within the NGC to cover wider issues of common interest, including on regional cooperation, and on emerging security challenges, such as the fight against terrorism, and risks to cyber and energy security;
- Provide support to Georgia’s participation in ISAF;
- Increase interoperability in military cooperation, crisis management and civil emergency planning;
- Enhance cooperation on education and training, including through supporting the National Defence Academy of Georgia;
- Strengthen the role of the Professional Development Programme in supporting the implementation of civil service reform and strengthening capacity for civil democratic oversight of the defence and security sector in Georgia;
- Underpin Georgia’s efforts at building a vibrant democratic society, including through a more structured engagement with the civil society of Georgia;
Issues related to the democratic development in Georgia, the conflict resolution process, Georgia’s engagement strategy, as well as Georgia’s contributions to Euro-Atlantic security will be subjects of NGC discussions, also at Ambassadorial level, in 2012.
To support this effort, Allied Ambassadors committed themselves to further strengthening the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia. They also committed to work towards completing the NATO Georgia Trust Fund III on Explosive Remnants of War Clearance and Medical Rehabilitation Support through seeking further contributions to this project.
Excerpts from Joint Statement of the NATO-Georgia Commission at the level of Ambassadors, with the participation of the Prime Minister of Georgia. (photo: NATO)