Georgia, Tbilisi / corr. Trend N.Kirskhalia / The Secretary-General of NATO, Yap de Hoop Schaffer, stated on 28 February at a joint press-conference with the President of Georgia, Mikhail Saakashvili that NATO is contemplating on offering assistance to Georgia in conducting the peacemaking operations, especially in Afghanistan.
According to him, this issue was discussed at the meeting with the President of Georgia on 28 February. Schaffer stressed that the parties discussed the situation in the region, Georgia's role in ensuring the security in the region, as well as its economical growth.
"NATO and Georgia are in the phase of intensive discussions which will be more intensive and Georgia understands that the alliance fully supports the aspiration of Georgia to NATO, it was stated at the summit in Riga," Schaffer said. The NATO Secretary-General stated that both parties discussed the settlement of the conflicts in Georgia. "We highlighted the peaceful way of resolving the conflicts and it is the key essence of regulating the conflicts in Georgia," he said.
The President of Georgia expressed its readiness to send forces to support peace in Afghanistan. "We have had a good relation experiences in Kosovo and Iraq, but we want to do more and therefore we will send a limited contingent of peacemakers," he said.
Saakashvili stated that Georgia aspires to NATO and he agrees with the assessment position of the NATO Secretary-General. "We do not want to stay still; we want to move forward in our relations with NATO and to develop by aspiring to NATO. Georgia should be an example for the countries of the region. I agree with the discussions and I want to say that we are in the final stage of negotiations. We leave Brussels with hope," Saakashvili said.