2016-12-20
H.E. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia:
"I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my senior friend, Mr. Binali Yildirim. Relationship with our friend - Turkey - is tremendously important for us, as we view it in the prism of strategic partnership. Georgia and Republic of Turkey have been bonded with cooperation in various directions for a great number of years.
Support of Turkey towards sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, along with the process of our accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is truly significant.
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in the official launch of Eurasian Tunnel today. It will connect Asia with Europe, thus giving rise to new prospects in the transport sector. Turkey and Georgia, with our partners, aspire to take a very active role in the revival of the New Silk Road. I wish to believe that this initiative will make a significant contribution to the development of this concept.
Georgia is keenly interested to make our interaction with Turkey further more intense in the areas of politics, trade and economy, transport, energy, arts and culture, humanitarian efforts.
We are bonded with successful relationship in the implementation of joint projects in transport and energy sectors. I have been honored to interact with my senior friend, Mr. Binali Yildirim over the past four years in different capacities that I have held. We have jointly implemented significant projects together. Particularly noteworthy among them is the progress achieved in the construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway. Construction is getting to its close and we are very actively working to commission it in the nearest future. This project is a vivid manifestation of the tripartite cooperation between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, which we highly value. Also, we will continue our close cooperation for the implementation of the Southern Energy Corridor and Transportation of Caspian Energy Resources through Georgia towards the West.
We believe that peaceful resolution of current conflicts is most important for the peace and improved stability in the region. We will be achieving this goal by complying with international principles of justice, sovereignty of states, territorial integrity and respect towards internationally recognized borders.
Role of Turkey in the stability of the region is most important and Georgia welcomes and feels grateful for the consistent position of Turkey towards these issues. On our way to the venue of the official launch, we passed a site of the horrifying terrorist attack of December 10, 2016 to pay the tribute to the memory of victims. Unfortunately, this atrocity was not the only one of its kind in the recent part and Government of Georgia strictly condemns the series of terrorist attacks, including the assassination of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, saddening us all yesterday. We bring condolences to the families and friends of the victims fallen in all the terrorist attacks. We express our deep sadness for these tragic occurrences to the authorities of the Republic of Turkey. Alas, more consolidation and further more joint projects similar to the one launched today is the only solution to the aforesaid. We need to stand by each other more intensely to overcome the challenges that we currently face. Let us wish peace, stability and advancement to our friendly and brotherly nation - Republic and People of Turkey - so that stable development is made possible not only in this country, but throughout the region, thus leading to the healing of the wounds currently experienced by people. We are convinced that it will be so indeed. Thank you."
H.E. Binali Yildirim, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey:
"Let me welcome you all here. I am delighted that we are greeting our dear brother Mr. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia today.
At the outset, let me once again refer to the horrifying assassination of Russian Ambassador Kirilov and bring my condolences to his family and people of Russia.
I need to note that my dear colleague visited us in Turkey on July 19, 2016 shortly after the treacherous attempt of a coup on July 15, 2016. Irrespective of the turbulences, he did not change plans and did visit us in Turkey, by thereby demonstrating a very ardent support of our country and Government. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to him for this.
Prime Minister of Georgia is visiting us again today to participate in the official launch of Eurasia Tunnel. It is a mega project, which connects two continents with each other and passes beneath the seabed at the depth of 106 meters. We have used this opportunity to discuss the standing relationship of Georgia and Turkey. We are convinced that current cooperation and mutual understanding between our countries will be further intensified in future. Turkey continues to support aspirations of Georgia, accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), integration with the European Union (EU) and Euro-Atlantic Structures. Turkey has always supported territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia. We will pursue doing so in future. We believe that current problems should be resolved within the territorial integrity of Georgia, sovereignty and internationally recognized borders.
Turkey has been the prime trade partner of Georgia since 2007 and we plan to further boost our relationship. Our wish is to make the economic integration of our countries more intense by removing bottlenecks from both land and air transportation routes. Georgia and Turkey cooperate in the area of investments also. In my previous capacity of a Minister of Transport, we launched Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway project, which is jointly implemented by Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Construction is now getting to its close. We stronly hope it will be completed in the first quarter of 2017 and we will thus extend the transport corridor to make the historic Silk Road gain a new momentum.
Your Excellency, let me once again, welcome you on this very significant day for us all."
Prime Minister's Press Office