The steps taken to increase security in the Black Sea region and deepening Georgia"s cooperation - the second day of the Alliance Ministerial was ended with Jens Stoltenberg press conference.
NATO Secretary General also answered Rustavi 2 questions. According to him, the presence of the NATO military contingent is a part of the alliance"s security policy in the Black Sea region. According to the statement of the Secretary General, the new package of measures will be enhanced with the closest partners of NATO, with Georgia and Ukraine, in cooperation with the foreign ministers.
" I think everyone should realize that Georgia and Ukraine are independent and sovereign states that have the right to choose their own future. The idea that Georgia is seeking NATO membership is provocative against Russia, is very dangerous. Because in this case, we also acknowledge that Russia has the right to decide what its neighbors can do. I am from Norway, from a small country that is bordering Russia. And I"m very glad that after joining NATO in 1949, the alliance"s founding countries would never agree with the Soviet Union, on what were the rights of Norway.
"That"s why Georgia and Ukraine have the right to choose their own way and they have adopted this decision as a result of democratic processes, we should respect and never agree with the idea that the sovereign country"s decision is unacceptable because its big neighbor does not like it, It depends on NATO when they will be the members of the Alliance , "- said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.