Georgia, Tbilisi, October 23/ Trend, N.Kirtzkhalia/
Georgian Defense Minister Irakliy Alasaniya within the Meeting of Defence Ministers in NATO Headquarters in Brussels holds bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts. In particular, he met with the Portuguese Defence Minister Jose Pedro Aguiar Branco.
As the Georgian Defense Ministry told Trend on Wednesday, the sides discussed prospects of cooperation between the two countries in the military sphere. Irakliy Alasaniya offered to Portuguese counterpart to cooperate in military education . The Portuguese Defence Minister became interested in cooperation in the military- technical sphere as well.
Irakliy Alasaniya thanked his counterpart for political support and participation in the EU observation mission.
The ministers of the two countries have paid special attention to the upcoming summits in London and Vilnius.
"We discussed the prospects for Georgia's accession to NATO. Portugal supports Georgia's course of Euro-Atlantic integration. Following all today's meetings, the upcoming summit will be productive for Georgia, and another step will be taken on the way to our integration into NATO. We also discussed future operations in Afghanistan and cooperation which is expected in this format with the NATO member countries," Alasaniya said.
Earlier, he held a meeting with his Greek counterpart during which he thanked Dimitrios Avramopoulos for support in the process of Georgia's Euro-Atlantic Integration.
The sides noted the importance of the EU observation mission. Nine Greek officers work in the EU observation mission in Georgia.
The Georgian Defense Minister proposed to use Sachkhersky mountain training base for summer and winter courses for Greek militaries.
Irakliy Alasaniya will also take part in the North Atlantic Council of NATO non-member countries participating in the ISAF mission. As part of the ministerial, he will meet with the head of the alliance's military committee, General Knut Barthel and the NATO Secretary General 's Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai.
Irakliy Alasaniya to hold bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers of Albania and other courtiers in the region in NATO headquarters.