Georgia-NATO relations at a new level
By Messenger Staff
Monday, May 23
Georgia’s Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli claims that Georgia-North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) moved to a new, upper level of cooperation that created tangible preconditions for forging closer, future ties between Georgia and the Alliance.
Khidasheli stated this at the end of the last week, when she attended the first filed training in the frame of the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC) at the Norio military base near Tbilisi.
She attended the occasion with Defence Ministry officials, diplomatic corps’ representatives and the head of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia, William Lahiu.
Khidahseli expressed hope that very soon the JTEC would serve both NATO member states and Georgian soldiers for them to upgrade their skills and evaluate their abilities.
“What we saw today is just the beginning. The process will be further refined and the JTEC will transform into a powerful institution that will ensure effective training both for Georgian and NATO member states’ soldiers. I once again congratulate Georgia on the opening of the Centre,” Lahiu said.
Today’s field training, involving a hundred troops from the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF), was the first out of 11 rotation training exercises that will continue until the end of year under the supervision of Georgian evaluators and NATO representatives.
On August 27 last year, the NATO Secretary General opened the JTEC at the Krtsanisi Military Facility near Tbilisi, where Georgian troops will train alongside NATO allies and partners.
