Tbilisi. The U.S. Congressmen approach Secretary of State John Kerry to make the NATO enlargement a key priority for the United States and the Alliance for NATO's upcoming Summit. Congressman Michael Turner initiated the letter, which was signed by 42 U.S. Congressmen, advocates granting of Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Georgia.
"As we approach the 2014 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit hosted by the United Kingdom, we encourage your continued efforts to make enlargement a key priority to the United States and the Alliance. Furthermore, we believe the United States should continue its close partnerships with the aspirant countries of Georgia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as with other countries in Central and Eastern Europe which seek closer relations with the U.S. and NATO. In particular, we urge you to support membership for Montenegro and Macedonia at this year's summit, to encourage continued progress in implementing the Membership Action Plan (MAP) for Bosnia-Herzegovina, and to advocate granting a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Georgia. " reads the letter. "It is our firm belief that the genuine prospect of NATO membership for the current group of aspirant states will further strengthen democratic institutions and values and increase stability and security in the region," it is pointed out in the letter. "The United States and its Allies have reached a critical point in which action is necessary to ensure NATO's future relevance and viability. As we approach the 2014 Summit, we stand ready to work with you to promote the accession of Montenegro and Macedonia to the Alliance, and to advance the membership prospects of Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina through the MAP process. In addition, we would like to work with you to ensure that other states in the region," the U.S. lawmakers noted.
The U.S. Congressmen's letter is a serious support for Georgia, Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze stated. She noted that the Georgian side expected the forthcoming NATO Summit with great interests and expectations.
Six years have passed after Bucharest Summit where it was declared that Georgia would become NATO member by all means and the next stage envisaged granting the Membership Action Plan to Georgia (MAP). "The Georgian Prime Minister attended the last sitting of NATO-Georgia Commission. The sitting was successful. In our opinion, after this meeting, the letter is expression of serious support to the new government and the whole country", Panjikidze stressed.