NATO closely watching events in Georgia, alliance chief says

PanARMENIAN.Net - NATO is closely watching events in Georgia, the alliance's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday, June 5 after Tbilisi accused Russia last week of setting up wire fences along the South Ossetia-Georgia border, according to RIA Novosti.

“We continue following with great interest the challenges and developments on Georgia’s borders,” Rasmussen said at a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission Defense Ministers’ session.

Rasmussen said the alliance has urged Georgia’s government to respect the rule of law, human rights and the rights of ethnic minorities, adding he hopes the upcoming presidential elections in Georgia, due in October, will be “free” and “legal.”

Rasmussen reiterated the alliance’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders. He also pledged that Georgia will one day become a NATO member.

“A stable and democratic Georgia has its place in the Euro-Atlantic Community. I am happy about the future which will see Georgia part of the alliance,” Rasmussen said.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said last week Russia’s border guards had installed barbed-wire fences along Georgia’s border with its disputed region of South Ossetia and had even pushed the border line inside Georgia.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned on Monday what is said were attempts “to stoke up the situation” on the border between South Ossetia and Georgia with an eye to the election campaign in Georgia, and “shifting the blame” to Russia.