"By the upcoming NATO Summit 2018, it will have become clearer how NATO and Georgia should move forward",- noted NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia in Brussels James Appathurai during the inteview with Ketevan Kardava, journalist of Georgian Public Broadcaster's First Channel.
James Appathurai emphsized that in 2018, NATO will assess the progress of states aspiring to become a member of the organization, including Georgia. "NATO will continue working on bringing aspiring countries further into the fold of the alliance. Georgia already has all the mechanisms needed for NATO membership… The alliance has positively assessed Georgian reforms. NATO-member states acknowledge and respect Georgia’s contribution to international security”, - Appathurai said.
Appathurai said the Government of Georgia has put forward several areas in which cooperation on Black Sea security issues could be strengthened. Unfortunately, the situation in Georgia has not changed a lot… as borderisation continues… Russia is again violating international legislation and neglects its responsibilities”, Appathurai said. He said the alliance is concerned about the situation. To decrease risks and increase transparency, military coordination has been improved, which will bring more benefit to the Euro-Atlantic space.
