Tag Archives: NATO

NATO snubs Georgia, again

JUNE 14 2021 (The Bulletin) — At their annual summit in Brussels, NATO members said that Georgia was still on track to join the Western military alliance but declined to give it a specific joining date. Georgia was given a ‘membership action plan’ in 2008 and has been an enthusiastic supporter of US-led operations in Afghanistan but it has been increasingly frustrated not to have been allowed to formally join NATO.

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— This story was published in issue 48 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on June 16 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Georgia sends another infantry battalion to Afghanistan

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JAN. 6 2021 (The Bulletin) — Georgia sent another infantry battalion to Afghanistan in support of NATO soldiers who are fighting the Taliban. Georgia has had an infantry battalion on rotation in Afghanistan since 2004. It sees its support of US-led operations there as vital to its drive to joining NATO.

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— This story was first published in issue 467 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

US military war games held in Georgia

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SEPT. 3 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — US forces started joint annual exercises with forces from Georgia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Latvia, Romania and Ukraine. This is the seventh year running that Georgia has hosted the multilateral war games. The US has said that its main ambition from the exercises is to give Georgian forces a boost.

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(News report from Issue No. 342, published on Sept. 7 2017)

Georgian second unit joins NATO military response force

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JUNE 12 2017 (The Bulletin) — A second Georgian infantry unit of 100 men is set to join NATO’s Response Force, the Western military alliance’s primary early response mechanism, media reported. Georgia’s is eager to join NATO and has had an infantry unit on NATO’s Response Force since 2015.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

NATO deal to scrap unused vehicles in Armenia

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MAY 29 2017 (The Bulletin) — NATO has struck a deal with Armenia to pay for 130 unusable military vehicles to be decommissioned, media reported. The cost of decommissioning the vehicles is estimated at 1.3m euros. NATO deals with Armenia are important as they show that Armenia, one of Russia’s closest allies, is prepared to work closely with the West’s main military structure.

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(News report from Issue No. 331, published on June 5 2017)

Russia protests Georgian military exercises

NOV. 15 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — The Russian government sent an official protest note to Georgia over Georgian-NATO military exercises which it described as a serious threat to peace and stability in the region. NATO keeps a permanent training base in Georgia. Both NATO and Georgia shrugged off the Russian complaint and said they were not aimed at Russia. Georgia wants to join NATO.

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(News report from Issue No. 305, published on Nov. 18 2016)

NATO conducts military exercise in Georgia

SEPT. 7 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — A NATO-sponsored military exercise took place in Georgia, the second in four months, potentially aggravating Georgia-Russia relations. Six countries participated in the military exercises. Georgia wants to join NATO and contributed to NATO operations in Afghanistan.

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(News report from Issue No. 295, published on Sept. 9 2016)

Central Asian FMs meet in the US

AUG. 3 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — Looking to boost the US’ regional profile, US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted a summit with all five foreign secretaries from Central Asia. Dubbed C5 +1, the meeting was a follow-up from its inaugural session in Samarkand last year. It’s important because the US has been accused of losing interest in the region since pulling its military out of Afghanistan in 2014.

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(News report from Issue No. 292, published on Aug. 12 2016)

Kerry flies into Tbilisi to pledge support for Georgia

TBILISI, JULY 6 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, flew to Tbilisi ahead of a NATO meeting in Warsaw to thank Georgia for its support for US military action in Iraq and Afghanistan and back its territorial integrity.

This was Mr Kerry’s first visit to the South Caucasus as Secretary of State, highlighting how the US’ focus during Barack Obama’s second administration has shifted from Central Asia and the South Caucasus region once it pulled most of its military out of Afghanistan. Instead, Mr Kerry has been embroiled in the collapse of Syria, a resurgent Russia and a war in Ukraine.

Georgia had been hoping for a strong show of support ahead of the NATO summit, the military alliance it has been pushing hard to join.

But Mr Kerry stopped short of openly declaring support for Georgia’s NATO membership and instead promised to support for Georgia’s territorial integrity.

“The United States stands firm in its commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders,” he said at a news conference with Georgian PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

“Russia’s occupation and militarization of parts of Georgia’s territory are unacceptable.”

Russia has recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway Georgian regions.

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(News report from Issue No. 288, published on July 8 2016)

Kerry to visit Georgia

JUNE 30 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – In a potential boost to Georgia’s aspirations to join NATO, US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Tbilisi on July 6, the US government said. The following dayMr Kerry will then travel on to Kiev. Joining NATO is a major component of Georgia’s foreign policy. Georgia has supported NATO’s military operations in Afghanistan and the US in Iraq over the past 15 years.

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(News report from Issue No. 287, published on July 1 2016)