NATO foreign ministers will offer political and practical support to Georgia and will review the alliance's ties with Russia following its "excessive use of force" in the Caucasus, officials in Brussels said Monday, according to dpa. At Tuesday's emergency meeting, which was requested by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, ministers will also call on Russia to observe the ceasefire and respect Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity by withdrawing its troops. And while Georgia's Membership Action Plan is not formerly on the agenda, ministers will be expected to reaffirm their view that the the former Soviet republic should eventually be invited to join the transatlantic alliance, as agreed by NATO leaders at their April summit in Bucharest, officials said. The allies will send out a "very clear message of solidarity" to Georgia and will agree on "a package of measures to assist and support" Georgia following its conflict with Russia, said NATO deputy spokeswoman Carmen Romero. Practical measures under consideration include sending a team of civilian experts to Georgia to help assess the damage caused to the country's critical infrastructure, energy supplies, transport sector, health care and food distribution. Ministers will also discuss ways of helping deliver humanitarian aid, strengthen its insitutions and get Georgia's air traffic system up and running again. Another area of cooperation could involve helping rebuild Georgia's badly damaged military forces and infrastructures, senior US officials said. Rice will also ask ministers to discuss the long-term impact of Russia's military intervention in the Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on its relationship with the alliance.
