Allies agree to resume formal meetings of the NATO-Russia Council
Allied Ministers reached agreement today to formally resume the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) meetings, including at Ministerial level, as soon as possible after the Strasbourg/Kehl Summit.
They agreed to use the NRC as a forum for dialogue with Russia on all issues – where they agree and disagree – with a view towards resolving problems and building practical co-operation.
In this regard, Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent States, its intention to build a new military base in Abkhazia, and its suspended implementation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) are seen as areas of particular concern to the Allies.
Ministers will urge Russia to meet its commitments with respect to Georgia.
NATO-Georgia Commission meets at ministerial level
The NATO-Georgia Commission met in Brussels for the second time at the level of foreign ministers and discussed a range of issues of common interest both for Georgia and the Alliance.
During the meeting, Ministers exchanged views on the development of Georgia's Annual National Programme (ANP), which will form the basis of the co-operation between NATO and Georgia, as well as on the progress of reforms that Georgia has agreed to undertake.
During the meeting, Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigol Vachadze and his counterparts also talked about the regional security situation and ways to further enhance the NATO-Georgia relationship.
5 Mar. 2009
Allies and Georgia address defence reform
Allied Defence Ministers discussed today with their Georgian counterpart Minister Sikharulidze, Georgia's progress in defence reform and its priorities for 2009.
In the second day of an informal meeting in Cracow, the NATO Georgia Commission reviewed the current situation in the country, the defence and security cooperation and the assistance for Georgia's reform effort provided within the framework of this body.
The talks took place in the context of the reaffirmation by NATO Foreign Ministers in December of the process set in train at Bucharest and their decision to develop an Annual National Programme to help advance Georgia's reforms.
Ministers also discussed the aftermath of the conflict last August, including Alliance assistance to Georgia in its recovery efforts and the issue of Russian bases on Georgian territory.
| 17:15 | NATO-Georgia Commission | | |  | |
| | • Opening remarks by the NATO Secretary General |  | MP3 941Kb | natochannel.tv | |
| | • Opening remarks by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia | | MP3 2014Kb | natochannel.tv | |
| 17:30 | Press conference by the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton | | MP3 12043Kb | | natochannel.tv |
Opening remarks
by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
at the meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission
with Invitees in Foreign Ministerial Session
Bonjour. Tout d’abord, je voudrais souhaiter à tous la bienvenue à cette deuxième réunion de la Commission OTAN-Géorgie en session des ministres des Affaires étrangères, et plus particulièrement à notre collègue géorgien, M. Grigol Vachadze. Monsieur le Ministre, soyez le bienvenu.
La relation OTAN-Géorgie a considérablement évolué ces dernières années. Avec, pour commencer, la signature par la Géorgie, en mars 1994, du Document-cadre du Partenariat pour la paix, puis la décision prise par les Alliés au sommet de Bucarest, selon laquelle la Géorgie deviendrait membre de l’OTAN, et, pour finir, la signature du Document-cadre de la Commission OTAN-Géorgie, en septembre de l’an dernier, l’OTAN et la Géorgie ont construit un partenariat durable.
Nous avons utilisé des outils pratiques – comme le PARP et l’IPAP –, renforcés par des consultations politiques dans le cadre du Dialogue intensifié, et maintenant de la Commission OTAN-Géorgie, pour promouvoir le processus de réforme en Géorgie et approfondir la relation OTAN-Géorgie.
Following a decision by NATO Foreign Ministers in December 2008, Georgia is currently in the process of developing an Annual National Programme (ANP), which will form the basis for our practical cooperation. Today we look forward to a discussion regarding progress on development of the ANP, the ongoing process of reforms in Georgia, a continuation of our dialogue on the regional security situation, and ways to further enhance the NATO-Georgia relationship.
Let me now turn the floor over to Foreign Minister Vashadze for his introductory remarks. Mister Minister, you have the floor.
Stichworte: Georgien, NATO, Sprache: englisch, Archiv: #
