Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili Wednesday held a face-to-face meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Alikhan Smailov to discuss the relations and prospects of future cooperation between the two countries, the government’s press office reported.

In his meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Georgian PM said, “Kazakhstan and Georgia enjoy years-long friendly relations.”

“My main message here is to once again confirm our readiness to continue our partnership and cooperation which has been very successful in the recent years. Historically, we have very good, strong relationship and friendship. As you mentioned, this year we mark the 30th anniversary since we established our diplomatic relations, and therefore my main message, again, is to strengthen our bilateral relationship, friendship, and cooperation,” Irakli Garibashvili noted.

Alikhan Smailov pledged Kazakhstan to be ready to continue the cooperation between the two countries.

“Our relationship is based on the principles of cooperation and partnership, fruitful partnership. Our Government is ready to enhance the cooperation between our countries, and I would like to wish us the successful continuation of this partnership,” Alikhan Smailov asserted.

Great meeting w/ 🇰🇿@PrimeMinisterEn. Discussed existing 🇬🇪-🇰🇿 partnership & possibilities for further enhancement of our co-op in bilateral & multi-lateral formats. 🇬🇪’s growing role as a gateway can be further explored for the countries of Central Asia. pic.twitter.com/0Yr0Sd5OVF

— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) July 27, 2022

In an enhanced-format meeting the parties reviewed the key direction of ongoing cooperation in the areas of tourism, energy, transport, and trade, with emphasis on the importance of the full-fledged operation of the Middle Corridor. The parties expressed commitment to deepening and enhancing the current cooperation even further. The meeting also pointed out the need to use every opportunity to increase the trade turnover between the two countries, the government’s press office noted.

The conversation also touched on the work of the Georgia-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties signed the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation between the Railways of Georgia and the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the 2023-2026 Roadmap for Enhancing the Trade Turnover Nomenclature between Georgia and the Republic of Kazakhstan.