Baku, April 16, AZERTAC

On April 16, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Mikheil Kavelashvili, President of Georgia, delivered press statements.

The President of Azerbaijan made the statement first.

Statement by President Ilham Aliyev

- Dear Mr. President,

Dear guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Dear Mr. President, I would like to once again sincerely welcome you to Azerbaijan. Welcome to Azerbaijan! I sincerely congratulate you once again on your election to the post of President and wish you the best of luck. I am very pleased that your first official visit after being elected President is to Azerbaijan. We highly appreciate this in our country. It once again reflects the essence of Georgian-Azerbaijani relations and the friendship and brotherhood between our peoples.

Our peoples have lived together in peace, friendship, and brotherhood for centuries, and this continues to be the case today. Our interstate relations are also at a high level. Georgia and Azerbaijan have jointly implemented a number of important projects, which are of tremendous importance not only for our countries and peoples but also for a wider geography. Of course, our political relations are developing. High-level contacts are regular, and there is an active political dialogue. In other words, the two friendly and brotherly countries are very closely linked in the true sense of the word and always support each other in international organizations. As I mentioned, many investment projects that unite us are of great importance for a wider geography. The oil and gas projects, the oil and gas pipelines, and the transport and communication initiatives jointly implemented by Azerbaijan and Georgia are truly of great significance. These projects have not only reshaped the transportation and energy map of the South Caucasus but also that of the entire Eurasian region. If we are talking about the energy security of Europe today, it is impossible to imagine it without Azerbaijan and Georgia. Currently, Azerbaijan exports natural gas to 12 countries, including Georgia, and these exports are carried out through Georgia. Our achievements in the field of transport and communications - the newly built railways and ports - have created great synergy in both Azerbaijan and Georgia. In fact, they have become an integral part of the Middle Corridor. If today we are talking about the Middle Corridor project in the South Caucasus, it is the corridor that passes through Azerbaijan and Georgia. Year after year, the volume of cargo passing through the territory of our countries is increasing. Additional steps are being taken to further increase the volume of this cargo.

Establishing peace and security in the South Caucasus is also a matter of our common interest, and both Georgia and Azerbaijan have made their contributions here. Unfortunately, for many years, the South Caucasus was an arena of conflict and war. I do hope that from now on, the dark pages of the South Caucasus will be closed and consigned to history.

Much can be said about Georgian-Azerbaijani relations. I simply want to state that our relations will continue to develop along an upward trajectory.

Let me once again express my gratitude to Mr. President. I am sure that the Azerbaijani people will also highly appreciate your decision. The first visit after an election is usually quite symbolic, and you are paying this visit to Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister of Georgia also paid his first official visit to Azerbaijan after the election. In other words, this has already become a wonderful tradition.

Therefore, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you again and wish you continued success in your activities.

X X X

Then, the President of Georgia made the statement.

Statement by President Mikheil Kavelashvili

- Your Excellency Mr. President,

Members of the delegation,

Representatives of the media, ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to extend special thanks to President Ilham Aliyev for the warm welcome and hospitality. This is my first foreign visit as the President of Georgia. This visit underscores the strategic and special nature of the good-neighborly relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan. It was important for me to visit Azerbaijan shortly after my election to this office.

I am delighted to have already had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Ilham Aliyev. We shared our thoughts and opinions on the exemplary multifaceted relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan, the challenges facing the South Caucasus region, and the developments currently unfolding around the world.

The unique friendship between our peoples has developed over the centuries, creating a solid foundation for the continued strengthening of our cooperation in the future. The preservation of national identity, respect for customs, traditions, culture and history are the fundamental principles our peoples hold in high regard.

Our friendship is based on mutual respect and the consideration of each other's national interests. We understand how important trust is in relationships and appreciate the value of our word. We have a number of unwritten laws and values that have sustained us and brought us to this day. That is why the Georgian-Azerbaijani friendship and strategic partnership are so special and exemplary.

Today's era of globalization, fraught with challenges and dangers, threatens many fundamental values. Therefore, we must pay special attention to and devote effort to protecting these principles. The Georgian and Azerbaijani peoples are together and will continue to be together in the struggle to protect the values that are vital to our nations.

I am absolutely convinced that our high-level strategic and good-neighborly relations that have stood the test of time will be further strengthened and elevated to a new level through the pursuit of the national interests of Georgia and Azerbaijan. Close cooperation between our countries in all areas is of particular importance for the effective resolution of the tasks facing the region and the world at large.

We are implementing a number of common and mutually beneficial projects, and this makes our region even more attractive to the world. Ensuring lasting peace and stability is important for the South Caucasus region to become even more competitive, reliable and sustainable.

I would like to emphasize that Georgia and Azerbaijan strongly support each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. I would like to thank Mr. President once again for that. Georgia has always been a strong supporter of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

Georgia welcomes the recent completion of negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia on all provisions of the peace agreement. This, beyond doubt, is a step forward in demonstrating and utilizing the full potential and opportunities of the region. We do hope that a historic agreement will be signed in the near future, giving a decisive impetus for long-term and sustainable peace in the region.

I would like to emphasize again Georgia’s declared policy of peace and our readiness to contribute to ensuring peace in the region. I would like to assure you that Georgia has always been a supporter of dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful coexistence in the South Caucasus, and this course will be continued in the future.

The special centuries-old friendship and common policies that exist between our countries have allowed us the opportunity to accurately define the role of our region. I am sure that our common future involves a successful, economically strong and prosperous South Caucasus, where our peoples will be able to live together in accordance with their own customs and traditions, rather than under so-called liberal values.

Unfortunately, our countries have been repeatedly subjected to double standards and interference in internal affairs by foreign forces in recent years. Despite the numerous efforts, we are resolutely eliminating these threats, ensuring the security and stability of the region.

No third country or organization can know better than us what is best for our peoples. I am glad that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia in the protection of common interests has been stepped up, and Mr. President, I would like to thank you again for that.

With the correct and consistent policy, we must fully utilize the potential of the region, fulfill the functions of a strong, reliable and unifying bridge on the geopolitical map of the world. I am sure that, taking into account the interests of each other, our relations will develop even more rapidly for the benefit of our countries and peoples.

My dear colleague, Mr. President, I would like to express my gratitude once again for your sincere hospitality. I am sure that I will have the honor of welcoming you to Georgia in the near future.

Thank you.