NATO Deputy Secretary General Visits TSU

NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller visited Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on September 21 to discuss a wide range of issues, among them NATO-Georgia relations, Russian propaganda and the ways of fighting it, countering terrorism, etc.

Rector of TSU, Giorgi Sharvashidze hailed the meeting as “very interesting and informative.” “The key message voiced at the meeting between the NATO Deputy Secretary General and students was that Georgia will definitely become a NATO member. A very open and interesting dialogue was held. Georgia’s policy, especially in respect of its occupied territories, was highly appraised. Students asked very critical questions and I think that we received very good answers.”

NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller emphasized the importance of reforms aimed at Georgia’s NATO integration. She said that Georgia tries to take active steps towards NATO membership and that NATO highly appraises the progress Georgia has made in implementing reforms, including in terms of economic development, creation of more effective security and defense institutions and modernization of armed forces.

NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller is on her one-day official visit to Georgia. As part of her visit, she will meet with President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia, Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua and Deputy Defense Minister Lela Chikovani.
Gottemoeller will participate in a roundtable at the Defense Institution Building School (DIB) and will also deliver remarks at a ceremony marking the International Day of Peace.

The visit will help the NATO Deputy Secretary General assess reform process in Georgia on the ground, get acquainted with the current situation in the country and discuss all important issues remaining on the agenda of NATO-Georgia relations.

Following the NATO Summit in Brussels in July, where the allies gathered at a top level meeting on Georgia, the visit by NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller underlines close relations between the alliance and Georgia and reaffirms that Georgia is high on NATO’s agenda.