“Successive Georgian governments have played it right, which is steady pressure, steady progress, being the most active partner we have,” said NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai in an exclusive interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB).

“So not allowing Georgia to slip off the agenda or to slip down the agenda, but at the same time, doing it in a politically clever way, which is not to overdo the public diplomacy, not to push too hard when the answer won’t yet be yes. Just to keep moving steadily forward with strategic patience, relentless pressure, but in a politically measured way. I think this government is doing that. I think previous governments have done that right, and I really do believe that’s the right way to go. Not to push too hard now, but to keep pushing,” James Appathurai underscored.

Appathurai vows to encourage his successor to keep moving the yardsticks forward within the current parameters.

“What I will say to my successor is that I have seen myself as the NATO special representative to the South Caucasus, including Georgia, but I also saw myself as Georgia’s special representative to NATO to make sure that Georgia remains high on the agenda and that there’s substance to the cooperation, that we keep moving the yardsticks forward within the parameters that we have. And so I’ll definitely encourage my successor to do that. I’ll do it also for my new responsibilities,” James Appathurai stressed.

NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, James Appathurai, arrived in Georgia today. He will hold meetings with the Georgian Prime Minister, President and the Parliament Speaker and likely the Cabinet.