AZG Armenian Daily #180, 21/09/2006

Foreign Developments

NATO TO CONTRIBUTE TO NEGOTIATIONS FOR GEORGIA’S
MEMBERSHIP TO THIS ORGANIZATION

The 26 NATO member states agreed to deepen the
dialogue for the issue of Georgia’s membership to this
organization. France Press agency informed about this,
referring to diplomatic sources. All the member states
are for negotiating with Georgia, but the decision
will officially be ratified On September 21, within
the framework of the UN Congress during the meeting of
the NATO Foreign Ministers.

Georgia has been stated for several times that the
issue of its membership to NATO is already settled and
the country will join NATO in 2007.

RF Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in June, that
"a huge geopolitical shift" might take place, if
Ukraine and Georgia join NATO. He said that Russia
will take into account the results of such a step from
the viewpoint of its own economic interests, as well
as from the viewpoint of the interests of its partner
countries.

By Petros Keshishian