NATO tells Georgia to stay on course toward democracy TBILISI, Georgia, June 27 (UPI) -- The priority for the government of Georgia is to continue moving forward with democratic reforms as it moves closer to Europe, the NATO secretary-general said. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen arrived Wednesday in Tbilisi for a two-day visit to discuss Georgia's progress in integrating with the European community. Rasmussen was in Tbilisi on the invitation of the Georgian government, which aspires to join the alliance. Rasmussen said democracy was a "deep-rooted" system of politics in Georgia and encouraged the government to stay on course. "We look forward to free and fair presidential elections later this year," he said in a statement. And we will continue to support the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. Rasmussen praised Georgia's contribution to international military operations, notably in Afghanistan where it's the largest non-NATO contributor of military forces.