Georgia joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1996. After the 2004 "Rose revolution" the cooperation between Georgia and the alliance intensified. In 2008, the bloc's chief said that Georgia could become member of NATO if it complies with the alliance's standards.
Russia has repeatedly opposed NATO's expansion toward its borders, saying it undermines regional security.
"In the immediate term, Georgia's entry in NATO is not on the agenda, and everyone – us, you and Brussels – know it. So I believe we should try and remove this emotional background. There is no need to look for additional reasons to complicate the already complicated relations over that matter," Abashidze said.
The diplomat added that Russia should not be concerned over the setting up of a NATO training center in Georgia, as it would not have a military component.
"There is no base there, this is a modest training center. I don't even know how many officers they will be training there," Abashidze said.
During the September 2014 NATO Summit, Tbilisi and the bloc's chiefs agreed to open a training center in Georgia for troops of the alliance and NATO partner states. The move is seen as a step to bring Georgia closer to becoming a NATO member.
