NATO will continue developing cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia, according to the alliance's new strategic concept accepted in Lisbon on Friday by the 28 NATO members.
NATO intends to "continue and develop the partnerships with Ukraine and Georgia within the NATO-Ukraine and NATO-Georgia Commissions, based on the NATO decision at the Bucharest summit 2008, and taking into account the Euro-Atlantic orientation or aspiration of each of the countries," the document reads.
The Strategic Concept will serve as the alliance's roadmap for the next ten years.
During the 2008 Bucharest Summit, NATO leaders stated that Georgia would join the alliance sometime in the future.
On Friday, Georgian First Deputy Foreign Minister Giga Bokeria expressed hope that the Lisbon summit will see a "firm" recommitment to the NATO leaders' decision at the Bucharest summit in 2008.
Ukraine has been seeking NATO membership under the previous leadership of President Viktor Yushchenko. His successor Viktor Yanukovych, who came to power in February, has said the country does not seek alignment with any military bloc, but pledged to maintain good strategic relations with NATO.
BRUSSELS, November 20 (RIA Novosti)
