NATO consultations with Georgia
Mr. David Bakradze, the Special Envoy of Georgia, visited NATO HQ today.
Following a bilateral meeting with the Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de
Hoop Scheffer, Mr. Bakradze held discussions with the North Atlantic
Council (NAC) as part of the intensive political dialogue established
in the decisions of the recent NATO Bucharest summit.
Two themes dominated the meeting with Ambassadors. The first focussed
on the upcoming agenda of political engagements prior to the Foreign
Ministers meeting in December where Georgia’s membership aspirations
to join the Membership Action Plan (MAP) will be considered. For example, there was agreement that
the Council would travel to Georgia during the coming months.
Second, the Georgian Envoy provided information on his country’s position
regarding the current situation in and around Georgia, including on the
latest developments with regard to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He shared
with the Allies the details of the Georgian President’s offer of a peace
plan for Abkhazia, Georgia, as well as information on the recent shooting
down of a Georgian drone.
Allies reaffirmed their strong support to Georgian sovereignty and territorial
integrity, and their view that the Russian Federation should reverse
the recent steps which undermine that sovereignty. Ambassadors also
described statements by Russian officials and political figures considering
a possible use of force by Russia in Georgian territory as unhelpful.