Georgia intends to join the North Atlantic Alliance. However, before this, the authorities plan to resolve all territorial problems with Russia.

This was stated by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, reports "Georgia Online."

"Our motivation is to become a member of NATO. It depends on our strategic readiness and patience. We understand that membership in NATO depends not only on our desire to join NATO," he said.

The prime minister stressed that a consensus must be reached among all member states of the Alliance to grant Georgia membership.

"We are not naive, we understand that Georgia has territorial problems which we have to solve first and then join NATO. This is the opinion of our European and NATO friends," Garibashvili added.

He said the government's policy is to restore territorial integrity and sovereignty through peaceful negotiations.

"We have had no contact since we came to power. We haven't had any political consultations since 2012, there are only trade and economic relations," the prime minister added.

Recall that in 2008, after the invasion of South Ossetia, Russia recognized the independence of the republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Georgia and most UN member states consider part of Georgia. Diplomatic relations with Russia were broken off by Georgia on September 3, 2008.