You're reading: NATO cannot ensure Black Sea security without Georgia

The Black Sea security concept, which is being eyed by NATO, cannot be successful without Georgia, said Georgian Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli on June 27.

“Today NATO is actively working on the Black Sea security concept, and Georgia is participating in that. Any concept to be approved at the [NATO] summit in Warsaw will involve Georgia. It is immaterial whether Georgia is a NATO member or not; these are the area and the challenge about which we have definitively said there cannot be a safe and successful project for the Black Sea without Georgia,” she told the press on June 27.

Georgia should be fully involved in all Black Sea measures, she said. “This provision should be included in documents Georgia will bring home from the NATO summit in Warsaw,” the minister said.

Khidasheli said she was speaking about joint exercises with the alliance in the Black Sea and regular visits.