Shock statement from the Secretary General from Tbilisi: is NATO protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the region?
Landmark visit by NATO Secretary General to Tbilisi
During a significant stop of his South Caucasus tour on Monday March 18, 2024, the Georgian capital Tbilisi was the scene of a major event involving NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Her meeting with senior Georgian officials, including President Salome Zourabichvili as well as Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, was an opportunity to reaffirm key commitments.
Georgia and NATO: Partnership and Territorial Integrity
Stoltenberg highlighted Georgia’s privileged status as a NATO ally, emphasizing in passing the esteem given to the Georgian contribution to the alliance’s various missions. He unequivocally reiterated NATO’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, recalling that South Ossetia and Abkhazia are an integral part of the Georgian nation.
Firm positions on Russian policy
The Secretary General urged Russia to reverse its decisions to recognize the secessionist Georgian territories as independent states, also denouncing as illegitimate the elections orchestrated by the Russian government in these regions. Additionally, he criticized the transparency of Russia’s presidential elections, calling them unfair and controlled.
Solidarity with Ukraine and Georgian contributions
Speaking, Stoltenberg expressed appreciation for Georgia’s engagement with NATO and its support for Ukraine. In the face of the Russian invasion, Georgia offered refuge and assistance to Ukrainians while providing much-needed humanitarian and financial aid. He indicated that Ukraine had been able to resist Russian assaults, managing to significantly damage or destroy the Black Sea fleet, thus promoting the resumption of its cereal exports crucial to its economy and international food security.
Deepening the NATO-Georgia partnership
Among the discussions, avenues for increasing cooperation between NATO and Georgia were explored, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity, secure communication, crisis management and military engineering. Stoltenberg assured NATO’s willingness to support Georgia towards a more robust democracy and full integration into the Euro-Atlantic space, in line with the decisions taken at the Bucharest summit in 2008 indicating a future membership of the Georgia to the alliance.
Continuation of the Caucasian tour
Stoltenberg’s tour will continue with scheduled visits to Armenia, following talks in Baku with Azerbaijani officials. Discussions with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturian as well as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian are planned to further consolidate NATO’s presence and influence in the South Caucasus.
