NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at NATO Headquarters, ahead of the Prime Minister’s meeting with the North Atlantic Council.

The Secretary General emphasized the close political partnership and strong practical cooperation between NATO and Georgia, thanking Georgia for serving alongside NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Jens Stoltenberg and Irakli Garibashvili addressed the security situation in the Black Sea region.

The Secretary General also expressed concerns over Russia’s continued military build-up in the Black Sea and recalled NATO’s continued support to Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

“We continue to call on Russia to end its recognition of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and to withdraw its forces”, - he said.