Azerbaijani, Georgian, Turkish FMs Discuss Cooperation in Tbilisi

On December 23, Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, Elmar Mammadyarov, Davit Zalkaliani and Mevlut Çavuşoğlu, respectively, discussed regional cooperation at the eighth trilateral ministerial meeting in Tbilisi.

Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey agreed to hold trilateral foreign ministerial meetings on the regular basis back in June 2012. The three countries then signed Trabzon Declaration, which outlines priority areas of cooperation between Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey ranging from mutual support in international organizations to joint energy and transportation projects.

At a press conference following the meeting in former Presidential Palace in Avlabari, Minister Zalkaliani said that Georgia has exemplary relations with both, Azerbaijan and Turkey on bilateral level, and that today they touched upon a wide range of issues of trilateral agenda. 

“We share strategic partnership and multidimensional cooperation, which includes the spheres of politics, trade and economy, culture, transport, energy and more,” he stated. 

Transport, energy, transit and security issues loomed large at the trilateral meeting. “At the meeting we paid particular attention to discussing joint regional transport and energy project,” FM Zalkaliani said.

He noted that “we once again underlined importance of implementing Trans-Caspian pipeline project,” adding that the sides discussed “the role of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey in transporting energy sources from the Caspian region to Europe and cooperation to ensure European energy security” as well.

In the joint statement signed within the eighth ministerial meeting, the three FMs “expressed their satisfaction with the growing bilateral and trilateral cooperation among their countries and reaffirmed their strong commitment for further enhancing their collaboration based on the strategic partnership, good neighborliness, mutual respect and trust.”

They also “reconfirmed the mutual respect and strong support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of the three states,” noting that “the existing conflicts in the region undermine peace, security, stability and economic development.”

The parties also reiterated “their firm commitment” to cooperate in fight against terrorism, violent extremism and separatism, as well as various forms of crime, including transnational organized crime, human trafficking, money laundering, cybercrime, and disinformation campaigns.

As part of the meeting, the ministerial meeting in Tbilisi, the Azerbaijani, Georgian and Turkish FMs adopted Trilateral Sectoral Cooperation Action Plan for 2020-2022 as well. 

The Foreign Ministers also held bilateral Azerbaijani-Georgian, Georgian-Turkish and Azerbaijani-Turkish meetings in Tbilisi. Further, Mevlut Çavuşoğlu and Elmar Mammadyarov also held separate meetings with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. 

Read also:

Georgia’s Gakharia Took Part in TANAP Launching in Turkey

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)