Georgia, Tbilisi, June 29 /Trend N.Kirtzkhalia/
Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Alexander Vershbow participated in a conference on Security and Defence of Georgia in Batumi on Friday. Before the conference, Alexander Vershbow met with Minister of Defence of Georgia Bacho Akhalaia, the ministry told Trend.
"I am very happy that I am in Georgia and have the opportunity to speak at a conference on defense and security. I had a very interesting working meeting with Minister of Defence of Georgia Bacho Akhalaia, and I thank you for your hospitality. At the meeting we discussed the relations between Georgia and NATO, participation in the Afghan mission and plans for the future, as well as regional security issues. It was a very good summing up of my two-day official visit," Vershbow told reporters.
Akhalaia noted that, relations between Georgia and NATO and the prospects for their development were discussed.
"However, I would say that when Mr. Vershbow was the deputy U.S. defense secretary, we started some reforms with him that are still going on in Georgia, and we talked about the progress of current reforms. It was a very interesting meeting and I hope that our cooperation will continue in the future," Akhalaia said.
At the meeting the sides discussed issues of cooperation with NATO. It was about the ongoing reforms in defense sphere and Georgia's participation in peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan under NATO auspices. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of Georgia's implementation of NATO commitments and the future cooperation of Georgia with NATO.
The Georgian side expressed its readiness to cooperate with NATO within a "reasonable defense" and to participate in various multi-national projects.