William Lahue: It takes time for NATO members to see Georgia is ready for the alliance membership

As per Head of the NATO Liaison Office to Georgia, William Lahiu, the alliance member countries realize Georgia’s excitement and concern in relation to national security and why the country wants to become a NATO member. As per him, we should remember that the time issue is very significant. InterpressNews talked to William Lahiu about concrete steps that should be made for NATO membership and gaining full confidence of the alliance members.

At the Wales Summit it was achieved important new initiative, which is going to be offered to

Georgia, Moldova and Jordan, but Georgia will be the first to benefit from this project. As you know substantive package includes defence capacity building initiative, NATO will provide support to the Georgian forces to increase its capabilities and to work much more closer in cooperation with NATO. So it was a very important political agreement that has been approved at the Summit among allies. Immediately after the Summit they’ve sent a planning officer here to start process of the implementation of substantive package.

- Mr. Lahue, The Foreign Policy website on September 22 reported that Georgia offered to host a center where the U.S. military could train Syrian rebels. But Georgian Government deny this information. however, what do you think how much realistic to host such center in Georgia and what gains or risks it will have for our country to join the anti-radical Islamist coalition?

- This is a bilateral issue between US and Georgia., So I can not comment on this, because we have only seen the one article, where there are no real facts. I don not know where this information comes from, that was written in article.

- In the same article, the one which were updated later, there was a quote of Thomas de Waal, declaring that this means, even though there is no prospect of NATO membership, they have decided to do everything they can to be NATO outside NATO," said de Waal. How do you assess this argument, is not it kind of reference that Georgia will stay only with Gold Card for years?

- Very interesting question. Of course, we do not know when Georgian will become NATO member, but the key is that Georgia is one the very closest NATO partner and its getting closer. With this defence capacity building initiative, which includes new substantive package, will increase Georgia’s capabilities to act as a key partner. The timing of NATO membership is a determination of an inpidual allies. They have to have a consensus on this. And if you look at the history about nations that joined NATO, Georgia is not behind, Lithuania was waiting for 10 years, there is another partner waiting for membership more than 12 years. During the decision inpidual allies make their own decision, they take into account their national interests and coalition interest for defence all the members. So it is complicated process, all the allies must be comfortable. They have to decide that it is a time, that it’s a time for NATO membership and this time has not come yet. Georgia is still in a process of some major reforms. This new package will support you to implement this reforms, this especially applies to the Ministry of Defence. The other element NATO is supporting is parliament for example as the democratic representative of people to be able to balance the power and have an influence on the government. If you look at the current processes in your country, you will see how difficult is sometimes to building a trust. People should work together in order to have mutual benefits.

- What do you think will it be further perspective for our country to become NATO member or at least to get MAP, unless the disputed territorial conflicts are unsolved

- There is nothing in NATO doctrine or policy which prevent Georgia’s integration in NATO before the issue of dispute territories will resolve. If the situation is stable, if the situation is predictable and if Georgia is committed to peaceful resolution of this process, these are key issues. And Georgia is already committed to peaceful resolution. And Georgian government is to insure that the Minsk process is continues and you have further peaceful toward the integration. NATO supports Georgia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and is against Russia’s arm forces and Russia’s interference is this two breakaway territories.

- In your recently published interview you pointed out the pact that geographically Georgia is the farthest away than any potential candidate to NATO membership has ever been considered and geographical proximity plays a role. Could you emphasize more about how important a role does geographical proximity plays in becoming alliance member country.

- It’s important to point out that the question was related to Albania and to compare Albania to Georgia. I pointed out the fact that Albania is in the centre of Europe and this is the fact. Georgia geographically is the farthest away from Europe, geographically. When we are talking about geographical distance, we should bear in mind that Georgia were isolated from Europe during 70 years and almost has no ties with European countries. And trade, cultural connections, political connections, the knowledge of allies about Georgia, about Georgia’s capabilities, about Georgia’s reliable partner increased only in the last 20 years. I mean Georgia has asked for NATO membership only several years ago (2002). So the process of understanding Georgia’s government, Georgia’s democratic processes, reforms need time. This take time for allies to see the Georgia is ready.

- Georgia has done a lot to fulfill the necessary criteria to becoming a NATO member, for example Georgia is the biggest contributor among NATO non-member countries in NATO operations. What other steps should Georgia take to grant the credibility among all members of Alliance and to become a NATO member.

- These actions that Georgia has taken, sending your forces to support global effort against terrorism, this increases visibility of your country among the European and Euro-Atlantic community. Georgia right now is doing everything it can, it is going right way. We are working together on global and own security. As the part of the substantive package providing more positions for Georgian officers in NATO’s headquarters and Georgian officers will be involved everyday decision-making process. This builds a lot of trust. And once again, during the years Georgia was out of this process, where it is involved now. In 2015 when Georgia will join NATO’s response forces this is a historical role for a partner in NATO and this will be a major change for the alliance. So you have to be patience, its again it is a learning process, it is a process of building trust, of understanding each other. This is not a contest, where you have a deadline. We understand very well Georgia’s concerns, its national security concerns and why Georgia wants to become a member. It is clear, of course. But again timing issue is important for everybody.

- So Georgia is not fully ready yet?

- yes, that’s right. Its not ready yet. There are always different opinion among the different members of Alliance - is Georgia ready - Yes or No? This is just a fact depends on what elements of this relationship will take into account. I think there is no doubt that Georgia is providing a great contribution to the ISAF mission. This is something that increases the credibility of Georgia as a future member of the Alliance.

- Getting back to the Wales Summit - after the Summit many pointed out that at Wales Georgia has got more than MAP…

- MAP is the separate issue. Is important to understand that MAP would provide no addition support to Georgia. You have already annual program, which you should implement, you have NATO-Georgia commission, you have Bucharest summit statement which was reaffirmed in Wales that Georgia will become a member of NATO and now you have this new package of concrete instruments to help push for the further integration. And if you look at other perspective members, they do not have such package, but they have MAP. But MAP provides no concrete support, no guarantees of membership, it does not gives any instruments, tools. MAP is a set goals and objectives, which candidate should implement in order to become Alliance member. So you have all these things already, you just do not have this “political stamp”, that was set up by the Bucharest summit, that map is the next step. MAP would not move you further, the substantive package gives you real, concrete instruments that are moving you closer to NATO. I would not say and repeat that MAP is better than this package, these are kind of slogans which do not have any value. And what you have is an instrument that makes you a partner above other partners. So this is what Georgia should be looking at and continue moving these process.

InterPressNews

Mari Javakhishvili