The prime minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, met up with Ilham Aliyev – the president of Azerbaijan.
The high quality of the strategic partnerships between Georgia and Azerbaijan was highlighted, as well as the active political dialogue, which mainly concerns a closer working relationship to improve trade and related economic issues. According to Gharibashvili, Georgia’s peace and stability significantly contribute to economic growth.
The will to improve the cultural, economic, and political partnerships was mentioned several times throughout the meetings.
The two leaders discussed the importance of various projects going forward in the trade, economic, transportation, and energy sectors. Georgia is one of the most important countries and a friend to Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan is one of the most significant strategic partners for Georgia – according to the Georgian prime minister during a joint briefing. Gharibashvili also thanked Ilham Aliyev for the visit and highlighted its importance for both countries.
“It is an honor to host the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and I want to thank the president for coming to Georgia. I would also like to point out that his contribution is immeasurable in bringing the relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia closer and strengthening our friendship and brotherhood.
There is indeed a unique relationship and friendship between our countries; these relationships stem from close historical ties and mutual respect. I firmly believe that our high-quality partnership will only get more potent for the good of our people and the good of our nations. Today, we had a critical meeting and covered various topics that connect to our nation’s strong relationships and partnerships. Of course, we also discussed the complex ongoing situation in the world. We touched on the region’s state, and we all agreed that the situation in Ukraine needs to be regulated via negotiations. I also want to say that during the dynamically changing and complex issues in the region, peace and stability play a significant role, which is a crucial factor in the development of our region and the overall well-being of our people.”- Irakli Gharibashvili said during the briefing.
The president of Azerbaijan also spoke about the partnership going forward and the projects the countries intend to pursue for mutual gain. Aliyev mentioned his plans to increase exports to Europe and Georgia’s role in the matter.
“Our route will pass through Georgia,” – said Ilham Aliyev.
“The Baku-Supsa terminal is currently not in working condition, but we want to load this channel as well.
From an operational standpoint, these projects are very successful, and we are eager to launch new projects to increase natural gas exports to international markets. We plan on exporting 22 million cubic meters, and we expect this number to grow over the following years. This year, a memorandum was signed with the European Commission, and within the next five years, Azerbaijan plans to double its natural gas exports to Europe.”- said the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
The two nations are working closely on foreign policy matters to overcome problems arising from the status quo. Both leaders agree that a strong relationship is mutually beneficial and is instantiated with success.