Vaira Vike-Freiberga: 2008 is premature for Georgia’s joining NATO

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Summing up outcomes of NATO summit completed in Riga Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga sated that problem of Georgia’s joining NATO will not be settled in 2008. “I believe that 2008 is premature for Georgia’s joining NATO. At the same time, I would like to stress the Alliance supports and welcomes Georgia’s wish, as well as its realization of reforms. Georgian authorities pursue an efficient policy; from our point of view, the fact should be welcomed by us. We will invite three Balkan states to join NATO in 2008. They expressed their wish to join NATO much earlier,” Vaira Vike-Freiberga stated. Her speech was broadcasted by Georgian Imedi TV-Channel.       

Speaking about the summit’s outcomes, French President Jacques Chirac said at a press conference that Georgia’s joining NATO was considered in the same context with Ukraine’s accession to the alliance at the summit. An active talk was carried out on NATO extension; at that, Macedonia was considered most really, he informed. As for Georgia, the country was considered in the same context with Ukraine; however, the matter did not concern any certain decision, Chirac stated.