FM: Georgia maintains strategic partnerships with three neighbours: Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkiye

“When we speak about global security, first and foremost, we must naturally begin the conversation with relations with our neighbours; relations with neighbours are our main priority,” Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili declared live on the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s First Channel programme “Actual Topic with Maka Tsintsadze”.

“Georgia has strategic partnerships with three neighbours: Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkiye. Relations with all three countries are very precious to us. You will recall that on the initiative of the Foreign Ministry, Tbilisi was the place that hosted the first meeting between foreign ministries when the conversation concerned a meeting between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. This was a very interesting first meeting.

I am confident that relations between us will continue and develop in this and other formats, and we are ready for this. We continue working so that issues important for the region, issues important for regional security, are precisely discussed by us; we participate in this process.

Georgia will continue working actively in this process with our partners. Several visits have been carried out to the Republic of Turkiye. Relations with Turkiye are also very important to us. Turkey is a significant player in the region and an important partner,” Botchorishvili stated.

According to the Head of the Foreign Ministry, Georgia has implemented several significant projects in the trilateral cooperation format with Azerbaijan and Turkiye, which, according to Botchorishvili, confirms that these countries can undertake beneficial projects through good neighbourly, friendly relations not only for their own countries but for the broader region.

“This confirms that we have the strength to undertake projects beneficial for our countries through good neighbourly, friendly relations, which are also important for the broader region. The broader region already encompasses Central Asia and European countries, for whom our region’s security and cooperation are also important.

This is also what Georgia’s government is actively pursuing, strengthening ties primarily with neighbouring countries, and subsequently with nations across the broader region. Several visits have been made to Central Asian countries this year, which are crucial for our security and the economic development of our region. Naturally, we will continue to work in this direction.

Soon, Tbilisi will host the Silk Road Forum, another international conference, where we will once again have the opportunity to discuss Georgia’s role, our country’s function, and the international cooperation that Georgia is developing precisely in this area,” declared Maka Botchorishvili.