NATO Secretary General's Special Representative Meets with Georgian Opposition

• Wednesday, June 13, 15:53

Tbilisi.. NATO Secretary General's Special Representatives for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Jarnes Appathurai, met with representatives of Georgian opposition, as part of his trip to Georgia, on Monday, June 11.

                James Appathurai and Georgian State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Giorgi Baramidze, opened a conference as part of the NATO Week in Tbilisi, on June 11.

                During his visit, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative is also expected to meet with Georgian government officials and representatives of the civil society.

                "This meeting has been of great importance for the entire oppositional spectrum," Manana Kobakhidze, chairperson of the oppositional Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia coalition (led by billionaire-turned- politician, Bidzina Ivanishvili), told journalists after the meeting.

"We have had an opportunity to brief the Alliance on the problems that the authorities impose on opposition, namely on coalition and its leader, in the campaign period. We have discussed in details the unjust court trials, inspired by the Chamber of Control of Georgia, as well as illegal methods used by the authorities against their political opponents," Kobakhidze reported.

                In her words, the opposition leaders particularly focused on political prisoners' problem in Georgia. Besides, at the meeting the opposition also touched upon the leadership's responsibility for holding democratic parliamentary elections in autumn this year.

"The government should provide equal, free, competitive environment for the opposition. We have all agreed that the government should pass that test," Kobakhidze added.

                According to the Georgian Dream -Democratic Georgia chairperson, at the meeting the coalition also fixed its stance with regard to Georgia's integration into NATO.

                "We have unambiguously expressed our support to that process. Our political vector is directed at strengthening relations with NATO, at participation in NATO's peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.  However, we believe that it is the government, itself, that creates obstacles on this path by ruling the country through undemocratic methods - we actually have to deal with authoritarian regime," Kobakhidze stressed.

Leader of the Christian-Democratic Movement, Giorgi Targamadze, in turn, claimed that the national defence academy, that had been functioning in Georgia for several years, was factually breeding a new Georgian military elite.

                "I asked NATO Secretary General's Special Representative, if the organization and the countries-members of the Alliance could provide more assistance to our military educational institution," Georgian Christian- Democrats' leader said.

                As NATO Information Center reported earlier, "NATO Week" would be organized on June 11-16. Different events, including meetings, conferences, exhibitions, presentations and others will be held in Tbilisi and Georgian regions as part of the "NATO Week", which is held for the fifth time.