Regarding Georgia’s path to NATO membership, Mr Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the good progress made on reforms, saying that these have made Georgia’s defence and security sectors more transparent and accountable. “We look forward to further implementation of reforms and we will continue to assist you in this process,” the Secretary General said.

Georgia is one of the largest non-NATO contributors to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and the Secretary General commended Georgia for its outstanding role in NATO operations. Georgia has also committed to contributing to the new NATO-led mission to train, advise and assist Afghan forces after 2014 and has offered to contribute to the NATO Response Force in 2015.

“Let me make clear that we stand by the decision we made at our Bucharest Summit in 2008,” Mr Fogh Rasmussen said. “Georgia will be a member of NATO, provided that it fulfils the requirements of membership. Alliance Foreign Ministers will discuss Georgia’s aspirations at our meeting later this month. And I am confident that our Wales Summit in September will recognize Georgia’s progress."