On December 6, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, held a meeting with Mircea Geoană, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, the Press Office of the Georgian Parliament reported.

The parties deliberated on NATO-Georgia relations, the developments in the region, and further plans. 

The Speaker thanked the NATO Deputy Secretary General for his support, stating that Georgia intends to maintain the progress on the North-Atlantic integration path.

The Deputy Secretary-General stressed the importance of the NATO-Georgia political dialogue and practical cooperation, including the NATO-Georgia Commission and the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package designed to strengthen Georgia’s ability to defend itself and advance its preparation for membership. He underscored the importance of Georgia’s continued efforts toward comprehensive reforms. "Allied Leaders adopted a clear message when they met in Vilnius last summer: to advance its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Georgia must make progress on reforms, including democratic reforms, and make the best use of the Annual National Programme," he said.

The Deputy Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for Georgia's substantial contributions to NATO, including its significant troop contributions and the participation of the Georgian Coast Guard boarding teams in Operation Sea Guardian. Geoană also welcomed Georgia’s recent progress on its Euro-Atlantic path. "I want to congratulate you on the European Commission’s recommendation to grant Georgia the status of a candidate country. This is a momentous development," he said.