TBILISI. May 21 (Interfax) - Georgia has been included among countries that are to join NATO during the latter's next wave of enlargement, the Georgian parliament's chairman said, citing a declaration issued at a NATO summit in Chicago on Sunday and Monday.

The North Atlantic alliance now refers to Georgia as an "aspirant country," and this means the Caucasus nation will join NATO during the next enlargement wave, David Bakradze explained at a meeting of the legislature's senior figures on Monday.

"The (declaration) expresses support for the territorial integrity of Georgia and contains an appeal to Russia concerning Abkhazia and the region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). The document records practically all points that are important for us very clearly and in form that is acceptable to Georgia," he said.

The promise at NATO's 2008 summit in Bucharest to eventually extend NATO membership to Georgia "was not detailed in terms of timeframes or mechanisms," Bakradze said.

"To an extent, Georgia and Ukraine were shut out of practical mechanisms. The events in Chicago have shown that Georgia has passed into an absolutely concrete environment and a concrete context. The fact that Georgia is referred to as an aspirant country along with three Balkan states means that it is one of the countries that are planned to be admitted to NATO during the next wave of enlargement of the alliance," he said.

Keywords: Russia, Georgia - Russia, NATO - Russian News - Russia

TBILISI. May 21 (Interfax) - Georgia has been included among countries that are to join NATO during the latter's next wave of enlargement, the Georgian parliament's chairman said, citing a declaration issued at a NATO summit in Chicago on Sunday and Monday.

The North Atlantic alliance now refers to Georgia as an "aspirant country," and this means the Caucasus nation will join NATO during the next enlargement wave, David Bakradze explained at a meeting of the legislature's senior figures on Monday.

"The (declaration) expresses support for the territorial integrity of Georgia and contains an appeal to Russia concerning Abkhazia and the region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). The document records practically all points that are important for us very clearly and in form that is acceptable to Georgia," he said.

The promise at NATO's 2008 summit in Bucharest to eventually extend NATO membership to Georgia "was not detailed in terms of timeframes or mechanisms," Bakradze said.

"To an extent, Georgia and Ukraine were shut out of practical mechanisms. The events in Chicago have shown that Georgia has passed into an absolutely concrete environment and a concrete context. The fact that Georgia is referred to as an aspirant country along with three Balkan states means that it is one of the countries that are planned to be admitted to NATO during the next wave of enlargement of the alliance," he said.