Door to NATO is still open in Georgia

NATO still keeps the door open for a possible admission of Georgia and Ukraine provided in case they meet the standards of the Alliance members, said Alexander Vershbow, NATO Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Strategic Affairs - RIA Novosti.

At the briefing he highlighted that the countries should conduct reforms to meet the membership criteria.

He added Georgia should work hard to develop its defense sphere and reinforce the security of the region.

Earlier this week, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a speech in Washington's Georgetown University that Georgia and Ukraine should conduct security and other reforms.

He added that NATO had been holding active discussions with the two countries through bilateral working groups.

Yet Vershow added the new strategic concept must also confirm NATO's adherence to long-term partnership with Russia. The Alliance sees no contradiction in the points.

Ukraine and Georgia have long been pursuing NATO membership but their bids were turned down due to pressure from Germany and France at a 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest.

Code for blog

  Print version