NATO, Georgia discuss prospects for enhanced naval cooperation in the Black Sea
(Baonghean.vn) - On March 25, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO and Georgia are discussing how the military alliance and Tbilisi can further strengthen cooperation, especially between the two sides' naval forces, amid growing concerns about Russia's military buildup in the Black Sea.
On March 24, Mr. Stoltenberg began a two-day visit to Georgia on the occasion of the NATO-Georgia 2019 exercise that began in Georgia on March 18. On March 25, the NATO Secretary General met with the host country's Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze.
 |
| Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg. Photo: Getty |
"We also share concerns about Russia's military buildup in the Black Sea region. That's why we are strengthening cooperation between the Georgian and NATO naval forces... And in today's meeting we discussed how we can strengthen cooperation, not only between our navies," Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Bakhtadze.
"NATO fully supports Georgia's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We call on Russia to end its recognition of the sovereignty of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and withdraw its troops from the region," Mr. Stoltenberg stressed. The NATO Secretary General also confirmed that the military alliance will continue to support Georgia's reforms to pave the way for the country to join NATO.
