2019-10-09
It is no coincidence that Azerbaijan is the destination of my first visit in the rank of Prime Minister, because I am confident that this visit will reassure our friends and enemies alike that there are no issues between Azerbaijan and Georgia that cannot be solved in a brotherly, friendly manner, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated during today's meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
The face-to-face meeting with President Aliyev marked the beginning of the official visit of the Head of Georgian Government to the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Special emphasis during the meeting was placed on the key directions in the strategic partnership between the two countries, important issues on the agenda of bilateral cooperation, and joint projects of regional importance implemented by Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The Prime Minister thanked the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for warm hospitality.
"I remember well our previous meetings, frank and open conversations, from which I gained much experience. Azerbaijan and Georgia are closest friends and partners. Indeed, our partnership has outgrown regional boundaries to advance to the international level, especially in the economic dimension, in the areas of energy carriers, transport, and trade. Georgia and Azerbaijan are committed to supporting each other in various international formats, which is of utmost importance, of course, and we are thankful to you for supporting Georgia's territorial integrity. Especially noteworthy are the warm, close people-to-people contacts between our citizens which stem from centuries-old historical and cultural interaction. I am convinced that our visit, dialogue and in-depth discussions, will, as usual, turn out to be extremely productive, once again to prove to our friends and enemies alike that Georgia and Azerbaijan can always find the right words and ways to solve any problem," the Prime Minister stated.
The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan congratulated Giorgi Gakharia on taking office as Head of Georgian Government, and thanked for holding his first foreign visit to Azerbaijan.
"Mister Prime Minister, you have been to Azerbaijan many times before, and I cherish the memories of our meetings. I am glad that your first foreign visit in the capacity of Prime Minister is held to Azerbaijan, which demonstrates that Georgia and Azerbaijan are close friends and partners. For us, Georgia is the closest friend, neighbor, and partner. History and geography, as factors that bind us, are of immense importance for developing our relations. Since regaining independence, our relations have developed to cover numerous areas. We support each other's territorial integrity, and we enjoy successful cooperation within the frameworks of numerous international organizations. I am truly excited to see the successful development of our economic relations-Azerbaijan is one of the largest investors in Georgia. The cooperation between our countries, especially in the fields of oil, natural gas, and transport, has transcended regional boundaries to enter the international arena. Especially important are people-to-people contacts. The Azerbaijanis living in Georgia and the Georgians living in Azerbaijan play an important role in the development of these relations," Ilham Aliyev emphasized.
The President of the republic of Azerbaijan hosted the Prime Minister of Georgia at Zagulba Palace.
Prime Minister's Press Office