NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller’s speech at the Batumi State University.

Transcript

Thank you so much. Thank you for that very kind introduction, and thank you also, to the chairman, for his warm welcome to this beautiful region. I’ve only been here a few hours and mostly been stuck inside, but I can see why it’s getting named to be a tourism magnet. I think that’s great, so good luck with that. I’m really delighted to be back in Georgia. My last visit was just about this time last fall, and the warmth of the Georgian welcome, it’s legendary, but I’ve experienced it a number of times and it’s always a pleasure to be back here. I’m particularly pleased, this is my first time in Batumi. I’ve never been here before, and with all our NATO allies we’ve been enjoying it this afternoon and really quite pleased to have this opportunity. Tomorrow we will be going to view your Coast Guard vessels and talking to some of the crews that NATO’s been cooperating to train. And I think that will be really a good opportunity, as we’ve already heard mentioned, to talk more about NATO and Georgia, and Georgia in NATO. Those are our watch words that we live by everyday when we work on our cooperation with your country. I’m also delighted to be here to launch NATO Days. It’s an exciting program of events, and it will go on, just as said, throughout October to show how NATO and Georgia are working together to improve Georgia’s defense capabilities and to pave the way to your eventual membership in NATO. So they’re very important for a number of reasons, but I hope you’ll take full advantage of the events that will be unfolding over the next month. This visit, in and of itself, demonstrates the ongoing importance of our relationship, and our commitment to strengthening our cooperation. Wherever I go, I always try to make time to speak to university students because I need to hear from you about what you’re thinking about the future of the security environment, and the defense challenges that you will face, as well as your aspirations for the future and what you think is going to be most important. Clearly NATO is a defense alliance, no question about it. So we focus on defense and security, but I’m interested to hear what your concerns and priorities are, as well, even beyond the defense world. In Georgia, and here in Batumi, in particular, I think you can see the difference that a generation can make, because I understand I’m looking at the beautiful seafront and the way there’s been so much growth and development, I can see that indeed a generation has made a difference. So that’s really the message I want you to take away with you today. That each and every one of you has tremendous power to make a change for the future. Now, let me talk for a little bit about NATO’s enduring partnership with Georgia. Our unique partnership dates back almost 30 years, long before many of you were born, and it has only increased in depth and in breadth. NATO leaders have consistently reiterated their decision from Bucharest in 2008 that Georgia will become a member of NATO. We know that this matters to Georgia. It matters to you. It matters to your families. It also sends a strong message that no country has the right to interfere in or decide another country’s destiny. Russia’s repeated disregard for international law and the values that underpin it will not deter us from working closely with Georgia. It has only made our resolve and our relationship stronger. NATO continues to call on Russia to withdraw its troops from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These territories are part of Georgia. We will never recognize them as anything else. We condemn the grave human rights violations, militarization, and construction of border-like obstacles and barbed wire fences. We commend national efforts to reduce tensions through your steps to the future program, and other measures that Georgia’s taking to negotiate, also, a peaceful resolution and improve the everyday lives of Georgians in those regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Today, at our NATO-Georgia commission meeting, which we just finished, allies around the table spoke to commend Georgia for your restraint and for your pragmatic approach to trying to continue to advance the peace process and make a difference in the lives of those citizens living in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Let me talk now about our strong framework for cooperation. NATO supports Georgia through a range of political and practical measures. The NATO-Georgia commission, that’s what brought us here to Batumi, has provided the framework for our cooperation since 2008. NATO’s liaison office in Tbilsi offers practical support and guidance to the government and to civil society on the ground. I hope you’re already following them on Facebook, but if you’re not, I highly recommend it. They’re really great and they have a lot to say about NATO’s cooperation with Georgia, and Georgia’s cooperation with NATO. Through Georgia’s annual national program we provide practical advice on both military and civilian aspects of reform, and this year we are celebrating five years of the substantial NATO-Georgia package, which is helping to strengthen Georgia’s defense capabilities and resilience, and our ability to work together. So, what does all this mean concretely? Experts from NATO allies and partners are on the ground everyday providing training and advice on everything from cyber threats to crisis management, from aviation to training of your special forces. Our joint training and evaluation center, which is just outside of Tblisi, is the centerpiece of our substantial package of cooperation. It offers joint training and exercises between Georgia and NATO allies and partners. And, by the way, just this last March, I was really happy about this, because the JTEC, as we call it, the Joint Training and Evaluation Center, JTEC, has really gone from strength to strength in recent years. And what was so important about the NATO-Georgia exercise last March is that it was Georgian-led and Georgian-planned, from beginning to end, with the JTEC taking the lead in doing that. And that’s a very important step forward in the defense planning process. Earlier this year, I mentioned that we had this joint training exercise in March, and it actually brought 24 NATO allies and partners together as well. So it wasn’t only Georgia, per se, but it was truly Georgia plus NATO. We are stepping up our support now, as I mentioned a moment ago, to the Georgian Coast Guard. NATO wants to ensure that the Black Sea remains a source of stability and security for NATO allies, but also partners. We also heard today at our NGC meeting from your neighbor, Turkey, and also Bulgaria and Romania with some very strong comments about the necessity of sustaining and building, strengthening security for all in the Black Sea. Because they are NATO members and also literal states here around the Black Sea. And so, your security and their security is important to us all. Let me talk a little bit more about Georgia’s contributions. Georgia’s a small country, but your standing on the global stage is great. Your armed forces are renowned for the dedication and professionalism. By the way, just like your rugby team. You know, the U.S. lost yesterday to France at the Rugby World Championships in Japan. I understand your team lost today to Fiji. But you’re still in the game. And I know that the Georgian team are strong fighters. So I really wish them best of luck for their next round with Australia next week. They’re not out of it yet. I don’t know about the U.S. We may be out of it, but we’ll leave that go. Anyway, Georgians have made a tremendous contribution to NATO and EU-led missions and operations. Georgia is the largest non-NATO contributor to NATO’s training mission in Afghanistan. And, by the way, you now have a Brigadier General serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff at the RSM Mission, Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, and taking the lead on the train, advise, and assist mission. And I think that’s another sign of Georgia’s leadership as a partner of NATO, and truly, we really appreciate it. I will say, also, though, that we appreciate further that the Georgian people have paid the ultimate price in Afghanistan, with 29 of your young people lost there. So, we also acknowledge and recognize that, and constantly remember that you are truly making a huge contribution to our joint operations and missions. Georgia is participating in NATO’s response force, also, enhancing our ability to deploy wherever and whenever we are needed. And Georgia’s committing to spending 2% of its Gross Domestic Product on defense, including 20% of that amount to modernize its forces. This is what we call the defense investment pledge inside NATO, and we are driving hard to make sure that all NATO allies get to that goal by 2024, but you are already doing it. And we appreciate that very much. We recognize the enormous contributions and sacrifices the Georgian people have made for our shared security. Georgia has made substantial progress in modernizing your defense forces and building stronger defense institutions. First and foremost, this helps you to better defend your own country, and that’s at the core of the matter. It also enables you to make valuable contributions to wider regional and global security. It’s a virtuous circle, as we say, a virtuous circle. Greater security helps to consolidate democracy and boost economic development. And in turn, a robust society and economy helps to strengthen your sovereignty and territorial integrity. This does not mean that there are not serious challenges ahead for Georgia. Reform of the judiciary, control of law enforcement, media freedom, free and fair parliamentary elections. We want to see that coming up in 2020. All of these will be key, but again, NATO is ready to work with you on all of these goals. Georgia’s partnership with NATO contains all the political and practical tools necessary to enable membership when the conditions are right. Georgia must continue to pursue the necessary reforms so that when NATO allies are ready to take the next step in the political process, Georgia is also ready. Continuing the pace of reform, and realizing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic ambitions will be a societal and a generational challenge. This process will require hard work and patience, which is perhaps a luxury that only comes with age. Change may not come overnight, but we have seen what can happen in a generation. And, as I said, we can see that right here in Batumi. But in every moment of adversity there’s always opportunity as well. In order to seize these opportunities, we will need your minds, the very best minds, and talents. Your talents. So, as I said at the beginning, never underestimate your potential to make a difference. You need to, as I do, think about how we can think big and build the future. But you’re right at the beginning of your careers, your lives, and I see huge opportunities for you to think big and make a difference. So thank you for your attention. I look forward to your questions. Thank you very much. (applause)