DISINFO: Rasmussen suggested Georgia join NATO without Abkhazia and South Ossetia

This is manipulative interpretation of the former NATO Secretary General's statements, giving the impression that Georgia should give up its occupied regions in exchange for joining NATO. This is one of many types of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the relations between Georgia and NATO. Speaking at the 5th Tbilisi International Conference co-organized by McCain Institute and Economic Policy Research Centre, former NATO Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said [13:07 - 15:00] that in case of Georgia’s accession to the alliance, it should be discussed internally whether Article 5 covers only the territory that is actually controlled by the Georgian government and applies to the occupied territories only after Georgia restores its jurisdiction there. As an illustration, Rasmussen brought an example of Germany, saying that West Germany joined NATO in 1955, while East Germany became a member of the alliance only in 1990, following German reunification.

“If one day we consider Georgia ready to join the alliance, we also have to make sure that Article 5 is still credible, which would require NATO to actually help Georgia, if Georgia is attacked. But obviously, it is the problem to have unresolved border disputes with Russia in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. So, the question is - how could that be resolved. I think you have to discuss internally in Georgia: would you in that case be willing to accept that Article 5 will only cover the territory that is actually controlled by the Georgian government. And the NATO will also have to reflect on exactly the same question,” Rasmussen said.

Further debunking by Myth Detector.