NATO offers Georgia chance to join Afghanistan operations

NATO has offered Georgia the opportunity to join coalition forces in Afghanistan, in particular to send military doctors to the country. Georgia's new Secrety of the Council for National Safety, Gela Bezhuashvili, made this announcement to reporters upon arrival from the US and Brussels. Bezhuashvili was previously the country's minister of defense.

In his words, Georgia is examining the possibility of sending 25 military medics to Afghanistan. The minister noted that there are people who want to go, and in respect of this they will make a decision. Georgia is also participating in the Iraqi coalition. 160 Georgian soldiers are fulfilling peacekeeping duties in Iraq, and their numbers will multiple by three times in the near future.

Bezhuashvili also said that NATO's leadership approved an individual plan for Georgia's partnership with the North Atlantic alliance. The plan was created for the purpose of accelerating Georgia's entry into NATO. The plan contains concrete details for ways of developing the Georgian army and increasing its budget. The plan is expected to be confirmed at NATO's summit in Istanbul.