Opening statement

by NATO  Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
at the meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission
with invitees

Monsieur Kezerashvili, Messieurs les Ministres, Mesdames et Messieurs, je vous souhaite la bienvenue.

Nous évoquerons aujourd’hui avec M. Kezerashvili la situation actuelle dans son pays et la suite à donner à la réforme de la défense géorgienne et à la coopération OTAN-Géorgie en matière de défense et de sécurité.

Cette première réunion des ministres de la Défense de la Commission OTAN-Géorgie montre clairement que nos relations ne cessent de se renforcer.

The issues which we will consider today are part of our common effort to fulfil Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and of our responsibility to supervise the process set in hand at Bucharest.

In addition, the NATO-Georgia Commission is also responsible for coordination of Alliance assistance to Georgia in its recovery from the recent conflict.  In that regard, we will have much to discuss in terms of extensive assistance provided by the Alliance over the last eight weeks in, among other areas, civil emergency planning, defence reform, airspace management, and cyber defence.

Let me now give the floor to Minister Kezerashvili for his introductory remarks.  Minister, you have the floor.