NATO adheres to its position and does not intend to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, stated Robert Simmons, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus, after meeting with Georgian Foreign Minister October 9.

In the course of the meeting, the sides discussed the prospects of EU-Georgia relations and fulfillment of the commitments, essential for approaching NATO standards.

Simmons also stated that Russia should not implement the Medvedev-Sarkozy agreement that provides for the withdrawal of Russian troops to the pre-war positions. The official addressed the NATO expansion issue, underlining that it depends on NATO member-states alone, and Russia has no right of veto on the issue.

It was stated at the Bucharest Summit that Georgia will join NATO, and the decision remains in force. The matter depends on Georgia’s approaching alliance standards, Simmons said.