The NATO Heads of State and Government are convening in Washington from 9 to 11 July for the 75th anniversary summit.

Since Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party adopted the "Agents Law", the country's western partners, including the European Union and the United States, have repeatedly stated that the law, along with a number of other areas, poses a threat to Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Given recent developments in Georgia, there are fears that the country will lose what it got in 2008. At a summit in Bucharest in April 2008, NATO declared that both Ukraine and Georgia would join the U.S.-led defence alliance.

The Accent was interested in how is it possible that NATO will no longer reiterate the 2008 Bucharest Summit decision regarding Georgia and asked the embassies of the member countries of the Alliance about their positions and expectations regarding Georgia.

Here are the comments:

The United States of America

"The Biden Administration is committed to ensuring NATO's door remains open to aspirants in the Euro-Atlantic area when they are ready. The Georgian government's current trajectory places Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations at risk," - the U.S. State Department spokesperson told the Accent.

Turkey

"We can once again confirm our firm support for Georgia's aspiration for integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures," Turkish Ambassador to Gorgia Ali Kaan Orbay told the Accent.

Germany

"Germany is closely and critically observing the development of events in Georgia. We cannot talk about the final declaration of the NATO summit in advance, " the Embassy of Germany in Georgia told the Accent.

Romania

"Romania stands by the decision of 2008 Bucharest summit. We do support membership for Georgia in accordance with all the relevant NATO documents adopted since that year. Of course like all the countries that did join NATO Georgia has to fulfill political and military criteria. Romania is ready to assist Georgia throught the process," the Ambassador of Romania to Georgia Razvan Rotundu told the Accent.

Czechia

"Negotiations on the Washington Declaration are in a full swing, thus it´s premature to speculate about the final text. In principle, Czechia is a staunch supporter of NATO´s Open Door Policy. Finland´s and Sweden´s accession to NATO sends a clear message that every nation has the right to choose its own path and that NATO´s door remains open.

We support the desire of Georgians to advance on their path towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration," the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Georgia, Petr Kubernát told the Accent.

Italy

"As a founding member, Italy supports NATO’s “open door” policy provided for in Article 10 of the Washington Treaty.

This provision basically states that membership is open to any “European State in a position to further the principles of the Treaty (ed. democracy, individual liberties and rule of law just to quote some) and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area”. According to this Article, therefore, the enlargement of NATO depends not only on the unanimous decision of the Parties to the Treaty, but also on the will and commitment of interested third countries to align with the principles and vision of the Alliance and to actually become a member. In this context, Italy fully supports the Euro-Atlantic path of Georgia, as enshrined in its Constitution, and commend the added value Georgia has brought and continues to bring to NATO activities.

As an example of such precious contribution, let me recall the decision of Georgian authorities to host exercises involving NATO partners (such as Exercise Trojan Footprint), the participation in Defender Exercise and in Operation Active Endeavour, as well as its significant contribution both to the International Security Assistance Force and to the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.

The road to NATO membership is nevertheless not easy.

Similarly to the European integration, also the Euro-Atlantic path requires the adoption and implementation of important reforms. Georgia can definitely count on Italy’s support, friendship and assistance," Italian Ambassador to Georgia Massimiliano D'Antuono told the Accent.

Lithuania

„Lithuania has always been supportive to the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people and will continue doing so, provided Georgia itself is still interested in this. Upholding democratic standards and implementation of respective reforms are essential preconditions in order to advance Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations," Embassy of Lithuania in Georgia told the Accent.

Finland

"The negotiations on the Washington summit Communiqué are on-going and shall continue till the Summit itself. Therefore it is not possible to comment their content beforehand. Finland is a solid supporter of Nato consensus and decisions already made before Finland became a member of the Alliance are not discussed in Finland," Ambassador of Finland to South Caucasus Kirsti Narinen told the Accent.

The question of the Accent was left unanswered by some embassies of the NATO member states, including the French embassy in Georgia.

What is NATO?

Founded in 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed by 12 nations to counter the threat to European security posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

NATO’s ranks have grown since the Washington Treaty was signed 75 years ago — to 32 countries after Sweden joined this year, worried by an increasingly aggressive Russia.

NATO’s doors are open to any European country that wants to join and can meet the requirements and obligations. Importantly, NATO takes its decisions by consensus, so every member has a veto.