"Georgia-Azerbaijan partnership and a call for peace in Baku-Yerevan relations" - Garibashvili-Aliyev meeting

Garibashvili meets with Aliyev

“Georgia seeks to enhance its partnership with Azerbaijan and expresses hope for the signing of a peace agreement between Baku and Yerevan soon,” stated Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili during a meeting with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev at the Central Asian summit on Nov. 24.

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Statement from the government of Georgia

The meeting centered on the longstanding, amicable relations between the two nations, emphasizing Azerbaijan’s role as one of Georgia’s key trade partners. Discussions included the integration of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad into the Europe-Caucasus-Asia rail corridor and the noteworthy Black Sea submarine cable project. This project aims to supply green energy resources from the South Caucasus to the EU market.

The parties also addressed global and regional security concerns. The Georgian Prime Minister expressed optimism that Azerbaijan would soon sign a peace agreement with Armenia, underlining the importance of stability in the region.

Commentary by Irakli Garibashvili

Irakli Garibashvili anticipates that Georgia’s GDP will surpass 8 thousand dollars by the year-end, marking a twofold increase over the past three years. Highlighting Georgia’s economic growth, he noted that international reserves reached a historic peak in July, while unemployment and poverty rates hit historic lows.

Garibashvili emphasized Georgia’s status as a reliable and stable partner with growing economic potential. He highlighted the country’s free trade agreements with the European Union, China, CIS countries, Great Britain, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, providing Georgian investors access to a market of 2.3 billion consumers.