Opening remarks
by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission in Defence Ministers session
(As delivered)

So welcome. I think we’re ready to start. And welcome to this meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission. Good afternoon. And then we are ready to start as soon as you have found your seats.
At our Wales Summit, NATO promised Georgia a substantial Package of support. And we are delivering.
In July, we held the joint exercise Agile Spirit. In August, I attended the inauguration of the new Joint Training and Evaluation Centre. 20 Allies have agreed to commit personnel to man the Centre and provide support to Georgia’s defence reforms. Georgia too is keeping its promise. Continuing its own reform process.
This is vital work. To improve Georgia’s security. And to support Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
Georgia is a sovereign nation with internationally recognised borders. It has the right to determine its own future. And its own security arrangements.
Yet today, Russia still violates Georgia’s borders. NATO calls on Russia to reverse its recognition of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia as independent states. Georgia is one of NATO’s closest partners. We are committed to deepening our partnership.
With that, I would like to thank the media for being part of the opening session of this meeting and then we will continue with the next session of the meeting in a moment.