Over years Georgia has moved closer to the membership of NATO and all allies support this progress, – the former NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller made this statement in her video address from Brussels to the participants of the 13th Conference on Defense and Security of Georgia (GDSC).

As Gottemoeller noted, NATO’s cooperation with Georgia is unique and it is based on several pillars.

“The first and foremost it is based on Georgia’s aspiration for membership in the Alliance.  You all know the decision made at the Bucharest Summit in 2008, that decision stands, Georgia will become a member of NATO.  Through the work we have done together over years since the decision, Georgia has moved closer to the membership of NATO and all allies support this progress. There are several tools at Georgia’s disposal to spur this continued progress. These comprise the second pillar of our cooperation. NATO-Georgia Commission is a dedicated venue through which we take forward political dialogue. The Annual National Program (ANP) frames the reforms necessary for eventual membership and enables us to assess progress each year. Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP) supports your security and defence reforms” – Rose Gottemoeller said.

According to her, Georgia has had remarkable success over five years since Substantial NATO-Georgia Package was agreed.

The 13^th Defense and Security Conference is hosted by Hilton Hotel in Batumi. High-ranking Georgian and foreign politicians, military experts and representatives of civil society, mass media and academic circles are taking part in the conference.