Leaders of a number of Caucasian and Central Asian countries expressed desire to establish close connection with NATO and become members of the Aliance, US Secretary of Defense Donald Rusmfeld stated addressing in Munich the annual conference on the security issues. In his words, the wish to be closer to NATO serves as an impulse for carrying out political and economic reforms in these states. Rumsfeld cited as an example the statement by the new Georgian leadership, according to which the desire of the Georgian people to face West and join NATO stimulated democratic progress in the country.