Remarks to the Media by ASD Vershbow and Deputy FM Bokeria after the meeting of the Security Working Group to the media (October 20)
Tbilisi,
October 20
Deputy
Foreign Minister Bokeria: Welcome everybody. I would like to welcome Assistant
Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Ambassador Alexander
Vershbow. For the entire Georgian nation and Georgian leadership this process
is of great importance, because after the Charter (on Strategic Cooperation)
was signed, we had the inaugural charter meeting in the U.S. several months
ago. Today we are having the first and in the most positive sense, a
routine working group meeting. Everybody who is aware of the U.S.-Georgia
Charter on Strategic Partnership knows that the main objective of this charter
is to increase Georgia’s defense capability, assist in military modernization
and allow Georgia to move closer to NATO standards. We are working on a full spectrum
of issues. There are four working groups in different areas, but for obvious
reasons this particular working group is of special importance. The assistance
provided by the United States to Georgia for military education, doctrine and
training is of great importance to Georgia. We have hope and we have a basis
for such hope that, after today’s meeting, our partnership will deepen. I’d
like to take this opportunity and extend my words of gratitude to our U.S.
partners and to Mr. Vershbow personally for this type of cooperation.
ASD
Vershbow: Thank you very much, Deputy Minister Bokeria. It’s been a great
pleasure to be here for the first meeting of the Security Working Group under
the U.S.-Georgia Charter. This was a valuable opportunity to develop the
potential for cooperation under the Charter and to develop a strong strategic
partnership between the United States and Georgia. We have a long legacy of
cooperation in the security field, and security cooperation is one way we can
support Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and
to promote stability in the region. During today’s discussions, we had a good
opportunity to discuss Georgia’s progress with its own defense reforms,
including its progress in the NATO Annual National Program. We also
discussed Georgia’s contributions to NATO operations in Afghanistan and the
progress of the training of Georgian forces already underway.
I want to
acknowledge and express U.S. appreciation for Georgian contributions to ISAF in
Afghanistan. The United States intends to support Georgia’s defense reform and
its modernization on Euro-Atlantic lines. Our current focus is on doctrine,
education and training and preparation for Georgia’s Afghan deployment. This is
a long-term process and a long-term commitment by the United States. In the
coming years, it will lay the basis for the modernization of Georgia’s defense
capabilities. At the same time, we are not taking any steps that would be
counter-productive to our mutual goals of promoting peace and stability in the
region. Finally, we discussed defense reforms and U.S. assistance to Georgia’s
efforts in this area, as well as some strategic issues related to the
region. This working group was a very good start to a process that will,
I think, be an important pillar of the U.S.-Georgia relationship in the
years to come. Now I expect you have a few questions.
Q: Georgia’s
Public Broadcaster: Russia calls for arms embargo against Georgia. What
reaction should we expect from the United States? Thank you…
ASD
Vershbow: I think you’ve heard previously, most recently from Secretary of
State Clinton in Moscow, that Georgia has the right to feel secure, and as a
sovereign nation has the right to defend itself. I think Georgia also has a
responsibility - and I think it fully accepts this responsibility, based on our
discussion today - to contribute to stability in the region.
So as I
said, we are committed to a long-term process to help Georgia with its defense
reforms and defense modernization. In the short term, we will focus on
doctrine, education and training, so that one can see improvement in the
professional standards of the Georgian Armed Forces. Of course, Georgia’s
security is a broader challenge. It is also a function of continued progress on
political reform, and development of a robust market economy. We intend
to support Georgia in these ways as well.
Q:
Reuters News Agency: Mr. Vershbow, there were lots of statements and
speculations over this issue and I’d like to get your comment about it. Which
non-NATO country is the United States in talks already or considering talks
about the missile defense shield? And I am very sorry but Mr. Bokeria touched
on this issue as well - Mr. Kouchner during his recent visit to Moscow said
that Russia is not fulfilling its obligations under the five-point plan
especially about withdrawing troops from Georgian territory. You’ve talked a
lot about the responsibilities of the sides to promote peace and stability in
the region. What’s your comment on this issue?
ASD
Vershbow: We are consulting within NATO on President Obama's new plan for
ballistic missile defense in Europe. We believe this new plan is more effective
in meeting the threats that exist today, and that it can adapt and evolve to
meet future threats and eventually protect all of the territory of our NATO
Allies. Due to the nature of the new architecture, there may be
opportunities for participation by many members of NATO, but we have not begun
the process of consulting with individual Allies about their potential role.
The one exception to that is the case of Poland and a Czech Republic, who had
roles under the old system and we're exploring their potential contributions
under the new system. We are not consulting with non-NATO countries and we
don’t envisage the placement of elements of our new architecture on the
territory of non-NATO member states. There have been some
preliminary discussions with Russia about possible contributions it could make
with its own assets for cooperative missile defense, but these discussions are
at an early stage.
On the second question, we do have concerns about compliance on the part of
Russia with some elements of the August 2008 ceasefire agreements. We discussed
these issues with Russia and are also trying to find a way to put international
eyes and ears, an international presence, back into the occupied territories in
order to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions -- similar to the way that
the EU monitors are contributing to transparency and confidence-building here
in the territory controlled by the Georgian government.
Q: Daily Resonansi: Since I have only one question it’s going to be longer.
According to some media reports Georgia will receive ten Guantanamo prisoners.
Is that true? Will these prisoners be followed by anti-tank and anti-air
systems and also with military base?
Bokeria: I’d
like to note that at today’s working meeting we have not discussed the
Guantanamo prisoners’ issue. The United States is our strategic partner and we
are ready to consider every issue that is important for the U.S. and support
it. But we have not discussed this today and we have nothing new to tell you on
this. As for moving Guantanamo base to Georgia, neither this issue has been
discussed.
Q: But I
have not asked that.
ASD
Vershbow: Let me try to comment. I appreciate what the deputy minister has just
said. We are discussing with many of our friends and allies around the world
the potential for resettling prisoners from Guantanamo in an effort to fulfill
President Obama's commitment to close that facility by the end of this year. I
also have to say that the connection that you drew in your question is not one
that we are raising in our consultations with any country, Georgia
included. There’s no connection between discussions on resettlement of
prisoners and our defense relationship. I can say that we are not
discussing or contemplating the establishment of bases in Georgia. But as I
described earlier, we are working together with our Georgian friends on a program
of long-term assistance to help Georgia carry out its defense reforms and
defense modernization, and ultimately to improve its candidacy as a prospective
member of NATO.