Tbilisi, 29 May 2017 – NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly passed a Declaration on Monday in support of Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, urging Allied governments to provide “strong political and practical support” as the country moves closer to the Alliance.
“Georgia and its people have made a clear choice: Georgia belongs in the Euro-Atlantic community of nations,” said Paolo Alli, President of the NATO PA. He said the imminent entry of Montenegro into NATO was an example for Georgia’s aspirations.
Full text follows below:
“Georgia and its people have made a clear choice: Georgia belongs in the Euro-Atlantic community of nations,” said Paolo Alli, President of the NATO PA. He said the imminent entry of Montenegro into NATO was an example for Georgia’s aspirations.
Full text follows below:
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SUPPORTING GEORGIA’S
EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATION*
The Assembly,
1.
Congratulating the people of Georgia with the 99th anniversary of the adoption of the Act of Independence and with the 26th anniversary of restoration of Independence;
2.
Committed to further deepening of cooperation with the Parliament of Georgia, elected on 8 October 2016 in competitive and well-administered elections where fundamental freedoms were generally respected;
3.
Reaffirming its commitment to NATO’s Open Door Policy for all European democracies that share the values
of our Alliance and are willing and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership; and underlining that membership in NATO is a decision
of the Allies and an aspirant country
and cannot be influenced by a third country;
4.
Convinced that Euro-Atlantic integration provides a path to stability
and that the previous
rounds of enlargement have
enhanced Euro-Atlantic and
indeed global security;
5.
Highly appreciating Georgia’s continuous and significant contribution to the common Euro-Atlantic security and its sizeable participation in the NATO Resolute
Support Mission in Afghanistan and NATO Response Force; and paying tribute to all the members
of the Georgian
Armed Forces who lost
their lives or were injured
in Afghanistan;
6.
Reaffirming its unwavering support to Georgia’s
Euro-Atlantic integration expressed, inter alia, in its Declaration
419 on NATO Enlargement adopted in Budapest,
in May 2015, and Resolution 431 on NATO’s Post-Warsaw Defence and Deterrence Posture adopted in Istanbul, in November 2016; and recalling the provisions in the 3 April 2008 Bucharest
Summit Declaration that Georgia will become a member of NATO;
7.
Impressed
by the high level of continuous support for the Euro-Atlantic integration among the people and main political parties in Georgia;
8.
Welcoming the substantial political dialogue and practical cooperation between NATO and Georgia, including through integration mechanisms such as the NATO-Georgia Commission, the Annual
National Programme and the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package;
9.
Recognising the impressive progress made in implementing this Package and thereby strengthening Georgia’s resilience and defence capabilities, enhancing interoperability with Allied forces
and helping Georgia
to advance in its preparation towards membership
in the Alliance;
10.
Commending the joint efforts of NATO and Georgia to develop
the Defence Institution Building School inaugurated in July 2016, as well as to achieve
operational capability of the Joint Training and Evaluation Centre
since its inauguration in August 2015, and the conduct of the joint NATO-Georgia exercise
in November 2016;
11.
Stressing that Georgia’s relationship with the Alliance
contains all the practical
tools to prepare
for eventual membership, while taking note of the position
of Allied leaders that Georgia will become a member
of NATO with
Membership Action Plan as an integral
part of the process;
12.
Emphasising the strategic importance of the Black Sea region
for common Euro-Atlantic security, recognising Georgia’s engagement in strategic discussions on Black Sea security
and welcoming the decision of the Warsaw Summit to further
strengthen the ongoing dialogue and cooperation
with Georgia in this regard;
13.
Commending the consistent and significant progress made by Georgia
in further consolidating its democracy,
improving transparency of its institutions and fostering economic development, thereby setting a very positive
example for the entire region, while recognising that further efforts are needed
to bolster the rule of law and the system of checks and balances,
ensure media pluralism and
reduce political polarisation;
14.
Reaffirming its strong support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia
in its internationally recognised borders and condemning the continuous illegal occupation of the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia, grave large-scale violations of human rights in the occupied regions, restrictions of freedom of movement across the Administrative Boundary Line, the continued
violation of a six-point
ceasefire agreement by the Russian Federation and steps taken towards the de facto annexation of these regions
by Russia as well as extensive
military build-up in these territories, which pose a serious threat
to broader regional peace and
security;
15.
Welcoming Georgia’s constructive policy aimed at de-escalation of tensions with Russia including unilateral steps such as the pledge not to use force in restoring its territorial integrity, its constructive participation in the Geneva International Discussions as well as Tbilisi’s efforts to engage with the population of the Abkhazia
and South Ossetia regions of
Georgia;
16.
URGES the member governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance:
a.
to continue
rendering strong political and practical support to Georgia
in the process
of NATO integration;
b.
to advance
further the political dimension of Georgia’s
NATO integration in order to create the conditions to grant the Membership Action Plan
to Georgia
in the future;
c.
to contribute fully to the implementation of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package and to consider
additional practical ways to intensify
efforts in support of Georgia, including through holding regular joint NATO-Georgia or bilateral exercises and assisting with the strengthening of its
anti-aircraft and other defensive capabilities;
d.
to help Georgia
enhance its ability to tackle hybrid threats,
including propaganda and disinformation campaigns aimed at eroding public support for the pro-Western strategic course;
e.
to further intensify
dialogue and practical cooperation with Georgia, as an aspirant country, on Black Sea security;
17.
ENCOURAGES the Government and Parliament
of Georgia:
a.
to continue
making full use of all the opportunities to advance
its NATO integration process offered by the NATO-Georgia Commission, the Annual National
Programme, its role as an enhanced
opportunities partner, its participation in the Defence
Capacity Building Initiative, and the Substantial
NATO-Georgia Package;
b.
to maintain
the course of strengthening democratic institutions, maintaining the system of checks and balances,
bolstering an independent judiciary, preserving media pluralism as well as
enhancing dialogue and reducing
tensions between the ruling and
opposition parties;
18.
CALLS UPON the Russian Federation:
a.
to respect
the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders, reverse the recognition of Georgia’s occupied regions as independent states and withdraw its military forces from these territories;
b.
to fulfil its obligations vis-à-vis Georgia
and abide by international law;
c.
to reciprocate Georgia’s unilateral pledge not to use force and refrain from any provocative and aggressive
steps towards Georgia;
d.
to facilitate the access of international human rights observers to the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
e.
to allow freedom
of movement and trade across the Administrative
Boundary Line;
19.
PLEDGES, as it has done in the past, to continue supporting and providing assistance to Georgia,
including through the Georgia-NATO Interparliamentary Council, in its NATO membership process.
* Presented by the Standing Committee and adopted by the Plenary Assembly on Monday 29 May 2017, Tbilissi, Georgia.
