Merkel backs Georgia's bid to join NATO in visit to Tbilisi

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is offering strong support for Georgia, saying the country is on track to become a member of NATO. Merkel flew to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Sunday, two days after she met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. In a speech Sunday, Merkel also suggested that NATO could help rebuild the tattered Georgian military. Merkel supports the EU cease-fire, saying it needs to be followed "immediately" and that Russian troops need to pull out of neighboring Georgia.