NATO Secretary General reiterates support to Georgia

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has reiterated support to Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty and called upon Russia to fulfil its obligations.

Secretary General made this statement at the briefing held in Tallinn, where the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting is underway. Rasmussen said that Alliance discussed issues of practical cooperation with Russia; however, there were issues, in which they did not agree.

"Of course the disagreement concerns Georgia," Rasmussen said and called upon Russia to respect Georgia's territorial integrity. NATO Secretary General said the NATO open-door policy was in force and that attitude of the alliance towards Georgia did not change.

NATO foreign ministers meeting in Estonia for a second day are expected today to grapple with differences over efforts in Afghanistan in talks conducted together with non-NATO nations contributing forces to the alliance's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

The ministers will also discuss relations with Russia - albeit with no Russian officials in attendance.


/Georgian Times/