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Georgia and NATO

Georgia aspires to join the Alliance. The country actively contributes to NATO-led operations and cooperates with the Allies and other partner countries in many other areas. Support for Georgia’s reform efforts and its goal of integration in Euro-Atlantic institutions is a priority for cooperation.

HISTORY

KEY DATES

MEMBERSHIP INSTRUMENTS

PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS

SUMMITS

Key Dates

In 1992 Georgia became a member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC);
On March 23, 1994 Georgia joined the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme;
On July 18, 1995 Georgia acceded to the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the States Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the other states participating in the Partnership for Peace programme;
In 1995 Georgia started cooperation with NATO in the field of education. Georgian experts undergo annual trainings in the NATO School in Oberammergau (Germany) and NATO Defence College in Rome (Italy);
In 1996 Georgia elaborated and represented to NATO the first Individual Partnership Programme (IPP);
On May 1, 1997 the Parliament of Georgia ratified the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the States Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the other states participating in the Partnership for Peace programme;
On May 30, 1997 the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) was set up and Georgia became one of its founding members;
On April 22, 1998 a diplomatic mission of Georgia to NATO was opened;
In March, 1999 Georgia joined the Planning and Review Process (PARP) of the Partnership for Peace Programme;
In 1999 Georgia participated for the first time NATO Peacekeeping Operation in Kosovo (KFOR-Kosovo Forces);
In March, 2001 regular political consultations with the NATO International Agency became a part of the practice;
On June 11-23, 2001 large-scale multinational military training "Cooperative Partner- 2001" was held jointly by NATO and partner countries in Poti, Georgia;
On June 17-28, 2002 large-scale multinational military training "Cooperative Best Effort- 2002" was held jointly by NATO and partner countries in Tbilisi, Georgia;
In June, 2002 Georgia launched cooperation with the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) within the program carried out under the aegis of the Partnership for Peace Trust Fund;
On September 13, 2002 by the Resolution N1661 of the Parliament of Georgia and in compliance with Article 48 of the Constitution of Georgia, the Georgian executive authorities were instructed to launch, along with the respective parliamentary bodies an integration process into NATO, with a view to accelerating and conducting effectively Georgia's integration into NATO and determining major directions of the country's internal and foreign policy;
On November 21-22, 2002 at the NATO Summit in Prague, Georgia's president made a declaration on its aspiration to NATO membership and expressed its desire to take part in the new programme "Individual Partnership Action Plan";
On December 28, 2002 the National Security Council of Georgia adopted the State Programme on Georgia's Euro-Atlantic Integration. The Programme consists of five major sections: 1) political and economic issues; 2) defence and military issues; 3) maintenance issues; 4) security issues; 5) legal issues;
On May 27, 2003 by Decree N235 of the President of Georgia, the National Coordination Council for Euro-Atlantic Integration was set up with a view to enhancing efforts and coordinated action of the state authorities in the process of Georgia's integration into NATO. The Council was chaired by the President of Georgia;
In September, 2003 large-scale multinational military-medical trainings "Med Care-Rescuer-03" were held in Tbilisi jointly by NATO and partner countries;
On June 28-29, 2004 at the NATO Summit held in Istanbul, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan joined officially the initiative for the Individual Partnership Action Plan;
In August, 2004 the Individual Partnership Action Plan of Georgia was presented officially to NATO;
On December 31, 2004 the Office of the State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration was created, according to the Decree #133 of the Government of Georgia. The objective of establishing the Office of the State Minister aims at deepening Georgia's cooperation with EU and NATO and facilitating the political, legal, military, economic and cultural integration.
Since 2004 Georgia has been involved to the NATO-led ISAF operation in Afghanistan.
In 2005 by the decision of the President of Georgia, a state commission was set up to implement the Individual Partnership Action Plan, which presents an interagency group headed by the Prime Minister. The Commission was tasked with coordinating and controlling the implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (Since 2009 a state commission called Government Coordinated Commission of Georgia on NATO Integration);
On February 14, 2005 a NATO Liaison Officer for the South Caucasus was assigned to Georgia;
On March 2, 2005 the agreement was signed on the provision of the host nation support to and transit of NATO forces and NATO personnel;
In 2005, the "Information Center on NATO and EU" was created in Georgia;
On September 21, 2006 an informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the NATO member states was held in New-York, which adopted a decision to launch the Intensified Dialogue with Georgia on NATO membership issues;
In 2007 Georgia hosted a NATO/PfP air exercise "Cooperative Archer 2007";
On April 3, 2008 on Bucharest Summit the Alliance made decision that Georgia will become NATO member country;
On August 19, 2008 extraordinary meeting of Foreign Ministers of member states was held in NATO Headquarters, Brussels to discuss latest events in Georgia;
On August 21-22, 2008 a group of 15 representatives of NATO CEP (Civil Emergency Planning) committee visited Georgia to assess on site damage caused by hostilities of Russian Federation;
On September 15-16, 2008 North-Atlantic Council, headed by NATO Secretary General held its first visit to Georgia.
In September, 2008 NATO and Georgia established NATO-Georgia Commission (NGC). NGC oversees the process set in hand at the Bucharest Summit.
In December, 2008 NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs made a decision that Georgia will elaborate the Annual National Programme (ANP). In the document short and long-term strategy of Georgia's development, including military reform, Foreign and Security Policy and economic development will be reflected.
In 2009 by decision made on April 3-4, NATO anniversary summit was held. Alliance member countries again expressed their adherence to the obligations undertaken at the Bucharest Summit;
In May, 2009 Georgia hosted to NATO/PFP exercises "Cooperative & Lancer 2009." Fourteen countries participated in it;
In November, 2009 for the participation in NATO Peacekeeping Operation Georgia deployed infantry platun in Afghanistan under French Command;
On October 1, 2010 "NATO Liaison Office" was opened;
On 19-20 November, 2010 the NATO Summit was held in Lisbon, Portugal, where NATO's new Strategic Concept was adopted. In the Lisbon Summit Declaration, the Allies reaffirmed the 2008 Bucharest Summit decision and reiterated that "Georgia will become a member of NATO". Alliance called on Russia to fulfill its commitment under the EU brokered Ceasefire Agreement of 12 August 2008 and reverse its recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as an independent regions;
In 2010 Sachkhere Mountain Training School received the status of NATO/PfP Mountain Training and Education Centre;
In April, 2011 the NGC foreign ministers met in Berlin and for the first time adopted a joint statement which reaffirmed the basic principles of NATO-Georgia cooperation;
On November 9-10, 2011 The North Atlantic Council (NAC) paid a two-day visit to Tbilisi and Batumi;
In December, 2011 at the NATO Foreign Ministerial held at NATO HQ. Allies adopted the Communiqué wherein Georgia, along with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina was mentioned as a NATO aspirant partner country;
On May 20-21, 2012 within the framework of Chicago Summit Georgia took part in all important meetings, despite the meetings of NATO member countries. Georgia participated in Alliance meetings with the important partners (ISAF, 28+13), the states contributed in ISAF and aspirant countries (28+4);
On September 22-28, 2012 international consequence management field exercise under the NATO EADRCC aegis Georgia 2012 has been conducted;
In October, 2012 Georgia doubled its contribution to ISAF, making the country one of the largest non-NATO troop contributor nations;
2013 On June 26-27, the North Atlantic Council (NAC), headed by Secretary General was visited Georgia for the third time;
On September 5-9, 2013 three NATO ships assigned to Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group TWO (SNMCMG2) made Port Call visit in Batumi;
In 2013 Georgia made a decision to participate in the NATO Connected Forces Initiative (CFI) with the aim to further increase NATO interoperability;
On September 4-5, 2014 the NATO Summit was held in Wales. Allies have endorsed a Substantial NATO-Georgia Package and together with Sweden, Finland, Australia and Jordan was invited to the “Enhanced Opportunity Partner’s Group”. Furthermore, Defence and Related Security Capacity Building Initiative has also been extended to Georgia;
On February 11-12, 2014 NATO's senior military authority - NATO Military Committee, conducted its first visit to Georgia. The Committee positivity assessed Georgia's implemented as well as ongoing defence reforms;
Since 2015 Georgia has been participating in the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and is part of NATO Response Force (NRF) as well;
On August 26-27, 2015 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg paid his first two-day visit to Georgia. Jens Stoltenberg as a part of his official visit participated in the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC) inauguration ceremony on August 27. The Center was officially opened on the territory of the National Training Center “Krtsanisi”.
On December 1-2, 2015 at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, NATO Foreign Ministerial was held. In to the statement, adopted after the Ministerial meeting, Allies once again reaffirmed their commitment to the NATO's Open Door Policy by inviting Montenegro to begin accession talks to join the Alliance. In the document the Allies for the first time declared that Georgia has all practical tools to prepare for the eventual membership.
On 8-9 July, 2016, NATO Summit was held in Warsaw. Georgia received significant political and practical support at the NATO Warsaw Summit, due to the acknowledgements of the progress accomplished in the process of Georgia's integration into NATO. Within the framework of the Summit, the first meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission at the level of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs was conducted. The Commission adopted a Joint Statement, where the Allies reaffirmed the decision of the Bucharest Summit, stating that Georgia will become a NATO member state. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs delivered a positive assessment of Georgia's progress in strengthening democratic and defence institutions, and fostering economic development. The Allies reiterated their firm support to Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders. At the Warsaw Summit, an important decision on strengthening Georgia's defence capabilities, interoperability and resilience capabilities was adopted by the Allies. Furthermore, the NATO-Georgia Substantial Package was strengthened, and new initiatives were adopted in areas, such as: the development of air defense capabilities, joint trainings and military exercises, cooperation on the topics of the Black Sea security, and strategic communication.
In accordance with the decisions adopted at the Warsaw Summit, the fourth visit of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) chaired by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, was held in Georgia on 7-8 September, 2016. It is worthy of noting, that, following the Warsaw Summit, this was the first international visit paid by North Atlantic Council (NAC). This further depicts the Alliance's strong support of Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations and substantiates for the strong partnership between two parties. The North Atlantic Council once again reaffirmed that Georgia has all practical tools to prepare for the eventual membership, and it further emphasized that it remains faithful to the decisions made at the Bucharest Summit. Hereby, Georgia's important role in strengthening of Euro-Atlantic security was emphasized, which contributes to the positive international image of Georgia as a reliable and capable partner of the Alliance. The NATO Secretary General and the Permanent Representatives of the NATO Member States, reaffirmed their support of Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders.
On March 1-3, 2017 NATO's senior military authority - Military Committee has paid its second visit to Georgia. NATO Military Committee's visit to Georgia is a strong message from the Alliance on its support to Georgia's integration and its aspiration to become a member of NATO.