(RIA Novosti) - NATO's enhanced dialogue with Georgia does not mean the country will automatically be granted membership, the head of the trans-Atlantic alliance's military committee said Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow, Ray Henault said NATO's intensified dialogue with non-members is not a guarantee of accession. A decision to take in a new state is usually preceded by lengthy negotiations, and there are certain requirements for aspirants to meet, including interior stability and good relations with neighbors, he said.
Henault said it is still premature to talk about Georgia's admission, and that to be considered as a candidate it should first resolve its conflicts with its breakaway provinces and with Russia. He added that NATO sees those conflicts as part of the country's bilateral relations with neighbors, and has no intention to step in to mediate, reports Trend.
Georgia's relations with Russia went sour after President Mikheil Saakashvili came to power on the back of a "color" revolution in 2003. The Western-leaning, U.S.-educated leader pledged to take the Caucasus nation into NATO and the European Union - a prospect to which Moscow strongly objects.
Relations were further strained in September of this year after NATO