Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze and NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer signed a framework document in Tbilisi on September 15 establishing a NATO-Georgia Commission.

The document outlines the goals and practical aspects of the NATO-Georgia Commission.

An inaugural session of the commission, which is a new mechanism for Georgia to maintain regular contacts with NATO, was held following a signing ceremony. The commission is similar to the one NATO has had with Ukraine since 1997.

Both Scheffer and Gurgenidze called the commission “a milestone” in relations.