Georgia optimistic on progress in NATO bid

BRUSSELS, Apr 13 (Reuters) Georgia voiced optimism today that its bid to join NATO would move ahead this year and said Russia would be unable to block the process.

Georgia has sought closer ties with the West since a ''Rose Revolution'' in late 2003 brought in a Western-leaning government.

Like Ukraine, it has been actively seeking membership of the European Union and NATO, much to the annoyance of Moscow, which sees the two countries as part of its sphere of influence.

Georgia's ministers of foreign affairs, defence and Euro-Atlantic integration reported on progress in required reforms to alliance Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and 26 member states at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

''It is important to us, to meet our strategic goals, to start the membership action plan by the end of this year,'' Defence Minister Irakly Okruashvili told a news briefing.

Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili said there were reasons for optimism over Georgia's NATO bid. ''It's clear we are on the right track. That was recognised by the alliance,'' he said, adding that no non-NATO country could block the process.

''No country has a veto over Georgia's integration into NATO, including Russia,'' he said. ''Regardless of the reaction, we will do what the people of Georgia asked us to do as a democratic government.'' Georgia has said it hopes to join by the end of 2008 and has been working with the alliance on defence reform, covering a reduction in the size of its army and military modernisation, as well as improving democratic standards.

A NATO spokeswoman said Georgia had made ''considerable progress''. The alliance welcomed the signing of an agreement on the withdrawal of Russian bases by 2008 and a peace proposal to resolve a long-running conflict in the breakaway Georgian territory of South Ossetia, she said.

But progress was still needed in areas such as judicial reform, the spokeswoman said.

Georgia is at the first stage needed to join NATO -- an ''individual partnership action plan''. If this is approved by member states it would move into a period of ''intensified dialogue'' before the launch of a ''membership action plan''.

Its progress is due to be discussed at an April 27-28 meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sofia.

REUTERS DKS PM2151