NATO To Strengthen Partnership With Georgia Via New Special Representative - Stoltenberg

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2021) The North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) is planning to strengthen the partnership with Georgia in close cooperation with a recently appointed Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

On September 2, Javier Colomina took office as the new NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, replacing James Appathurai in the position.

"We will continue to work on how we can strengthen the partnership with Georgia in political and practical support and I look forward to work with the new special representative on how to do exactly that," Stoltenberg said at the press briefing ahead of the meeting of NATO Defense Ministers at NATO Headquarters.

Stoltenberg added that his special representative Colomina is a very experienced and knowledgeable diplomat who really knows how NATO works and how to strengthen the partnership with Georgia and work more closely with countries in the region.

On Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze signed a memorandum in Tbilisi aimed at strengthening Georgia's defense capability and deterrence potential.

Georgia is an aspirant for NATO membership and one of the Alliance's closest partners. The first Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Robert Simmons, was appointed in September 2004.