BRUSSELS - Georgia has asked NATO for military assistance, notably to replace a radar system destroyed in the Russian offensive, the country's ambassador to NATO said Tuesday. "To start with, we have difficulties with our radar systems which were destroyed and we asked for new equipment," Georgian Ambassador to NATO Revaz Beshidze told reporters in Brussels. "We are working with the NATO military council and we discussed all the possibilities, including military assistance," he added, following ambassador-level talks with the 26 NATO nations.
He refused to give details of other demands for assistance made during the meeting in Brussels but said "we expect a reaction as soon as possible."
On Georgia's wish to join NATO, Tbilisi's representative recognised that the alliance remained divided on the bid, which is strongly opposed by Moscow. "We received the solidarity of the allies but some nations are very far from a common position" on Georgian membership, he admitted. "There is still not a consensus on this matter."
Georgia's NATO candidature, backed by Washington, does not have unanimous NATO support. At the last NATO summit in Bucharest in April, members states refrained from offering candidate status to Georgia or fellow hopeful Ukraine -- amid misgivings from France and Germany among others -- but said both had a future within the alliance.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer assured Georgia earlier on Tuesday that the alliance had not gone cold on the idea of eventual Georgian membership. "Georgia is a respected partner and friend and one day Georgia will join NATO," Scheffer told reporters following the NATO talks with Georgia. "I think that the Bucharest communique stands. That was the situation and that is the situation and that has not changed" despite the current conflict with Russia, he said.
But Beshidze said NATO's reluctance to offer Georgia candidature at the Bucharest summit was "a big mistake... because they gave a green light to Russia".
Some observers believe that Georgia's military action in its breakaway region of South Ossetia, which prompted Russia's response, has hurt it chances of NATO membership. Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht, in a newspaper interview, was critical of Georgia's original decision to intervene militarily in its breakaway region of South Ossetia. "It was obvious that the Russians would react strongly," he said.
| And the Georgians didn't have any heavy barbers in response ... |
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