Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze met with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze met with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

The meeting focused on the strategic partnership between Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and the prospects for further deepening cooperation in various fields.

The positive dynamics of the development of trade and economic ties between the two countries and the role of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation in this context were emphasized. The Georgian side confirmed its readiness to host the next session of the Commission in the near future.

The leaders of the two countries spoke about global and regional geopolitical challenges and once again emphasized the importance of peace for the sustainable and stable development of the region.

The meeting also touched upon regional projects that Georgia and Azerbaijan are jointly implementing and their role in strengthening connectivity.

Following the meeting, a package of agreements in the energy and transport sectors was signed between the two countries, which includes: a 20-year intergovernmental agreement on the basic terms of electricity supply and transit traffic between Georgia and Azerbaijan. A 20-year extension of the gas purchase and sale agreement from Azerbaijan signed in 2003, which includes guarantees of security of social gas supply.

The documents were signed by the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili on the Georgian side, and by the Minister of Economy Mikail Jabbarov and the Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov on the Azerbaijani side.

A protocol of the Bilateral Coordination Council was also signed, according to which the new Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway section will be put into full operation. The document was signed by Mariam Kvrivishvili, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, and Rashad Nabiev, Minister of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan. According to the agreement reached between the parties, daily passenger rail traffic between Tbilisi and Baku will resume from May 26 after a 6-year break.

The ceremony of signing the documents was attended by Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia, and Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.