FM Zalkaliani at NATO Ministerial in Riga

By Natalia Kochiashvili

Thursday, December 2

The Riga Ministerial Meeting adopted a special report on aspirant countries, which reflects the progress made by the aspirant countries on the path to NATO integration, as well as specific mechanisms and new directions for assisting the aspirants on the path to membership.

“Georgia and Ukraine are close partners of NATO, they contribute to our missions, we are ready to strengthen the support of both countries.”

At the meeting of the NATO Council of Foreign Ministers in Riga, the Secretary-General and Ministers of the Alliance reiterated their support for NATO aspirant country, Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. It was noted at the meeting that Georgia is a close partner of NATO and underlined its contribution to global security, including NATO operations and missions.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, NATO is committed to the decision of the Bucharest Summit and is ready to continue its political and practical support to Georgia. According to the decision made at the NATO Bucharest Summit in 2008, Georgia and Ukraine will become members of NATO.

“Georgia and Ukraine are among NATO's closest partners, and we remain ready for their political and practical support,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at the opening of a meeting.

“We especially welcome Minister Zalkaliani and Minister Kuleba at this meeting of the North Atlantic Council, with the participation of Georgia and Ukraine. NATO supports the decision made at the Bucharest Summit and we remain ready to provide political and practical support to Georgia and Ukraine,” he announced.

The Secretary-General also stressed the importance of Georgia and Ukraine moving ahead with reforms to strengthen the rule of law and democracy, fight corruption, and continue to transform the security and defense sectors.

Among the issues on the agenda of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers was the security of the Black Sea, in this context the cooperation of the Alliance with partner countries, the strengthening of their integration mechanisms, and further support.

Speaking of “Russia’s continued aggressive and destabilizing actions against its neighbors and its military build-up in and around Ukraine,” the NATO Secretary-General said “we need to remain vigilant and avoid escalation. Ministers made clear any future Russian aggression would come at a high price and have serious political and economic consequences for Russia.”

Stoltenberg continued, adding that Russians try to re-establish some kind of acceptance that Russia has the right to control what neighbors do, or not do and that’s the kind of world we don’t want to return to, where big powers had a say, or a kind of right, to put limitations of what sovereign, independent nations can do

The special report on aspirant countries was adopted at the Riga Ministerial, which reflects the progress achieved by aspirants in the process of NATO integration and specific mechanisms and new directions of assistance to aspirants on the way to membership.

Riga Ministerial had a special workload before the 2022 NATO Summit, at which the new strategic concept of NATO must be approved. During the preparatory period of the Ministerial, the Georgian side developed and presented its visions to the Alliance on the path of strengthening both practical and political support for NATO integration, including reforms, strengthening the country's defense capabilities, and strengthening resilience.

The November 30-December 1 ministerial comes ahead of and in preparation for the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, where the Alliance is set to adopt its next Strategic Concept.