Working groups to prepare Georgia for MAPApril 7, 2008 - 17:46 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgia and NATO are forming bilateral working groups to prepare the country for the Membership Action Plan (MAP). "The groups will operate until Georgia becomes full-fledged NATO member state. Their activity will be periodically assessed in Brussels in 26+1 format," said Batu Kutelia, Georgia's Deputy Foreign Minister. For his part, Foreign Minister David Bakradze said that the working groups will draw up a to-do list. "We should be maximally prepared in December," he said, RBC reports. During the NATO summit in Bucharest, Georgia's way to NATO was cut by 8 European states, including Germany and France. Georgia was only offered "intensive engagement." The possibility of granting MAP to Georgia will be considered in December at a meeting of the Alliance's Foreign Ministers. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |