New Georgia minister joins NATO

• Tweet

BRUSSELS, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels Wednesday welcomed new Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze, the organization reported.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen praised Georgia for holding "free, fair and democratic elections" adding that the country passed an important test.

"Next year's presidential elections will constitute another important test," Rasmussen said.

During the meeting, NATO ministers thanked Georgia for its substantial contribution to the mission in Afghanistan.

"Recently, Georgia doubled its contribution to our mission in Afghanistan to become one of the biggest troop contributors to ISAF of all our partners," Rasmussen said. "And Georgia has already joined the planning process for the NATO-led mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces after 2014."