WEBVTT 00:11.063 --> 00:14.223 - So, good morning, and welcome to all of you. 00:14.223 --> 00:16.069 I think we are ready to start. 00:16.069 --> 00:19.966 And welcome to this meeting of the North Atlantic Council, 00:19.966 --> 00:23.525 a meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament 00:23.525 --> 00:26.775 and with the members of the Parliament. 00:28.867 --> 00:32.700 And let me start by thanking you, Mr. Speaker, 00:32.796 --> 00:33.963 for hosting us 00:35.480 --> 00:39.563 and also for your very strong personal commitment 00:40.588 --> 00:44.255 to the partnership between Georgia and NATO. 00:45.508 --> 00:49.425 And let me also thank the members of Parliament 00:49.734 --> 00:52.587 and the Speaker for giving us this opportunity 00:52.587 --> 00:53.920 to meet with you 00:54.499 --> 00:58.666 and with so many members of the Georgian Parliament. 00:59.510 --> 01:01.760 Let me congratulate Georgia 01:02.637 --> 01:04.970 on 25 years of independence. 01:06.829 --> 01:10.521 The North Atlantic Council's visit to Georgia 01:10.521 --> 01:14.188 sends a very important message to the world. 01:15.220 --> 01:18.303 That NATO strongly supports Georgia's 01:19.306 --> 01:22.473 territorial integrity and sovereignty. 01:22.480 --> 01:24.397 It also sends a message 01:24.750 --> 01:27.512 about the close and enduring partnership 01:27.512 --> 01:29.595 between Georgia and NATO. 01:31.490 --> 01:35.657 As Georgia approaches national elections next month, 01:36.484 --> 01:39.020 I want to take this opportunity 01:39.020 --> 01:41.981 to commend all members of Parliament 01:41.981 --> 01:44.148 for your active engagement 01:44.651 --> 01:48.818 in strengthening Georgia's democratic institutions. 01:49.844 --> 01:52.655 Georgia has made impressive progress 01:52.655 --> 01:55.405 on fundamental electoral reforms. 01:56.747 --> 01:59.264 You have also strengthened the rule of law. 01:59.264 --> 02:01.430 And you are pursuing key reforms 02:01.430 --> 02:04.430 in the defense and security sectors. 02:04.433 --> 02:07.266 These reform efforts are important 02:07.266 --> 02:09.307 for the people of Georgia 02:09.307 --> 02:12.483 and for helping Georgia meet the standards 02:12.483 --> 02:15.733 required for becoming a member of NATO. 02:16.465 --> 02:19.641 We pledge that we will continue to work closely with Georgia 02:19.641 --> 02:23.252 to help prepare your country for NATO membership. 02:23.252 --> 02:26.136 Thank you, once again, Mr. Speaker, 02:26.136 --> 02:27.803 for your hospitality 02:28.794 --> 02:30.763 and for your leadership. 02:30.763 --> 02:33.513 And then I give the floor to you. 02:37.021 --> 02:39.854 (speaks Georgian) 02:40.253 --> 02:42.920 - [Voiceover] Thank you so much. 02:43.879 --> 02:47.296 Dear Secretary General, allow me to greet 02:48.125 --> 02:52.292 and give warm welcome to North Atlantic Council members, 02:54.441 --> 02:58.108 and on the behalf of the Georgian Parliament 02:58.182 --> 03:01.213 I would like to render my acknowledgement 03:01.213 --> 03:03.213 for arriving to Georgia. 03:08.009 --> 03:10.992 There is no telling that it's another paragon 03:10.992 --> 03:15.159 and demonstration of the fact that NATO and Georgia 03:16.500 --> 03:19.207 (speaks Georgian) 03:19.207 --> 03:21.707 are separated only by the fact 03:21.984 --> 03:24.745 that Georgia is not yet the member. 03:24.745 --> 03:28.912 So all the rest implies that we are working together, 03:29.421 --> 03:31.504 we jointly deliberate on 03:35.086 --> 03:38.050 NATO member countries security, the security of the world, 03:38.050 --> 03:40.550 and Georgia is in the position 03:41.491 --> 03:42.908 to be practically 03:45.674 --> 03:49.257 full body participant of NATO's activities. 03:49.739 --> 03:53.739 This is how we perceive your arrival to Georgia. 03:53.864 --> 03:58.031 And one more time, please accept our gratitude for this. 03:59.493 --> 04:02.993 My thanks go to every member state of NATO 04:05.091 --> 04:07.591 who are present at this event. 04:08.218 --> 04:11.474 And please accept one more time my assurances 04:11.474 --> 04:14.548 that Georgia will go to great lengths 04:14.548 --> 04:16.548 to be the co-participant 04:20.235 --> 04:23.652 of security, well-being, peace attainment 04:25.874 --> 04:29.207 on our continent and all over the world. 04:30.924 --> 04:32.507 Georgian Parliament 04:34.614 --> 04:36.197 has a special cause 04:40.688 --> 04:44.105 to be involved in the aforeset processes. 04:45.429 --> 04:48.112 Due to the fact that we are honored 04:48.112 --> 04:50.279 in forthcoming gear in May 04:52.364 --> 04:56.531 to be host to NATO Parliamentary Assembly session, as well. 04:58.497 --> 05:02.330 That will be in the NATO non-member countries, 05:03.465 --> 05:05.298 a NATO parliamentarian 05:07.659 --> 05:11.826 one of the most important events, which will be somewhat 05:12.214 --> 05:16.381 the continuation of the atmosphere of collaboration 05:17.246 --> 05:18.913 we are facing today. 05:19.051 --> 05:22.884 One more time, accept my gratitude that today, 05:24.731 --> 05:28.377 one month in advance to the parliamentary elections 05:28.377 --> 05:30.772 in Georgia you paid the visit to our country. 05:30.772 --> 05:33.664 This is immensely important for us, 05:33.664 --> 05:37.831 for the majority of parliamentarian parties in Georgia 05:38.846 --> 05:43.013 for whom the question stands not like this: yes or no 05:44.194 --> 05:46.211 to Georgia's integration to NATO, 05:46.211 --> 05:48.977 but the question for the different parliamentary parties 05:48.977 --> 05:51.706 is which road is shorter and more efficient 05:51.706 --> 05:55.873 for Georgia to become the full-fledged member of NATO. 05:56.342 --> 05:58.484 This is our common position 05:58.484 --> 06:01.901 we have communicated to Secretary General 06:02.261 --> 06:04.011 in a morning meeting. 06:05.123 --> 06:08.405 I want this message to be properly and directly understood 06:08.405 --> 06:09.401 by Georgia society. 06:09.401 --> 06:10.736 Thank you very much for coming 06:10.736 --> 06:12.886 and I anticipate productive work 06:12.886 --> 06:13.982 in the course of our session. 06:13.982 --> 06:14.815 Thank you. 06:16.461 --> 06:18.893 - Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker, 06:18.893 --> 06:22.560 and this ends the public part of the meeting 06:23.079 --> 06:25.814 and then we will continue in a moment, 06:25.814 --> 06:27.564 so thank you so much.