According to the German Foreign Minister, who has visited the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, Georgia’s conflicts with its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia won’t be an obstacle for the country in joining NATO.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier also said that NATO didn’t want its new members to bring their problems into the alliance, but appreciated Georgia's steps towards resolving the conflicts.Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been calling on the international community to recognise their de-facto independence since wars broke out in the early 1990s.Peacekeeping forces have been stationed in both self-proclaimed republics ever since.