The President of Azerbaijan visits Tbilisi; Statements following meeting with Garibashvili

Azerbaijani President visits Tbilisi

On October 24, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid a working visit to Georgia. He was received by Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili.

Aliyev’s visit to Tbilisi was unexpected even for journalists. The meeting between Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Ilham Aliyev took place in the outskirts of Tbilisi, where a final press conference was also held.

What did the President of Azerbaijan say?

At a briefing after the visit, the two leaders said the main topic of the meeting was cooperation in the energy sector. Azerbaijan plans to increase energy exports to Europe, which means an increase in supplies through pipelines passing through Georgia.

“Azerbaijan intends to export electricity to international markets, and, of course, our route will pass through Georgia. 10 GW is our renewable energy capacity, and export opportunities across the Caspian Sea involve transporting 157 GW. This is an indicator established by international calculations and forecasts. We believe that this will be a new target for electricity exports, and, as in other areas, we believe that Georgia and Azerbaijan will successfully cooperate in this direction, and in general the potential for our cooperation, prosperity, and the potential of energy corridors will increase,” Aliyev said.

The President of Azerbaijan also announced an increase in the loading of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline for the export of natural gas and the commissioning of the temporarily suspended Baku-Tbilisi terminal.

According to Aliyev, he and Irakli Garibashvili also discussed future energy policy and exchanged views on Georgian-Azerbaijani projects that have already been carried out.

“It is in our common interests to increase the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route and use Georgian ports to move cargo from Central Asia to Europe. We believe that we have the opportunity to increase this potential. A new reality is being created, and we must be ready for it,” Aliyev explained. The President of Azerbaijan said that Baku intends to use the Baku-Supsa terminal again.

Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan has invested three billion dollars in Georgia. Over the past nine months, cargo turnover between the two countries has grown by 75%.

• Silent no more: young Azerbaijanis dare to speak out in Georgia
• Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey: a new military alliance on the horizon?

What did the Prime Minister of Georgia say?

Azerbaijan is Georgia’s most important strategic partner, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said:

“I saw important strategic projects that we have already implemented, which one might say are of historical significance. Among them are the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzrum gas pipelines, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project and the projects of the Southern Gas Corridor.”

According to Garibashvili, both sides agree that what is happening in Ukraine should be regulated through negotiations. According to the Prime Minister of Georgia, in the face of rapidly changing and complex challenges in the region and the world, great importance is attached to peace and stability, “which is a key condition for the development of our region and for the well-being of our peoples.”

“We also touched upon the situation in the region, the agreement recently reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the start of a peaceful negotiation process,” Garibashvili said.

The Prime Minister of Georgia also remembered the president’s father, Heydar Aliyev:

“Finally, I would like to recall the words of your father, the national leader of Azerbaijan and a person whom we respect very much, Heydar Aliyev. Here is what he said during his visit to Georgia: The Azerbaijani and Georgian peoples are lucky to be neighbors and have close relations. Our ancestors saw the fruits of this happiness. Our task is to give these traditions eternal life and pass them on to future generations.”

Azerbaijani President visits Tbilisi