Georgian, Turkish Prime Ministers discuss strategic partnership

Turkey supports Georgia’s membership in NATO, says Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim who is paying an official visit to Tbilisi today.

Yildirim is accompanied by a delegation consisted of seven prominent Cabinet Ministers. This is the highest level delegation from Turkey that has ever visited Georgia.

Welcoming an unprecedented high level delegation visit to Georgia. Hosting #Georgia - #Turkey strategic council pic.twitter.com/S0XYBYdmm5

— Mikheil Janelidze (@JanelidzeMkh) May 23, 2017

Standing beside Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili at a joint press conference earlier this afternoon, Yildirim said that Turkey keeps supporting two main principles – territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia.

"No one has a right to violate these two principles”, Yildirim said, adding that the problem surrounding breakaway Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions must be solved with these two principles in mind.

Kvirikashvili and Yildirim chaired the second meeting of the Georgia-Turkey High-level Strategic Cooperation Council. This is the format of cooperation between the two countries which was introduced last year with its first meeting held in Turkey.

Good discussions a/ further deepening friendly rltns&key directions of strategic partnership between #Georgia and #Turkeyhttps://t.co/VAI3nwWaLo

— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) May 23, 2017

During the event several important bilateral documents were signed to further diversify the legal framework between Georgia and Turkey. These included:

• A cooperation document between the Georgian and Turkish Justice Ministries;
• A declaration about creating a joint economic and trade commission between Georgia and Turkey;
• A cultural cooperation program between the Georgian and Turkish governments;
• A cybersecurity cooperation memorandum between the Georgian Justice Ministry and the Turkish Transport, Maritime and Communication Ministry.

Talks also involved the trilateral Georgia-Azerbaijan-Turkey format designed to promote political dialogue and deeper result-oriented cooperation in different directions. Special emphasis was placed on close cooperation on the implementation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project scheduled to be inaugurated in the foreseeable future.

The parties paid special attention to the further deepening economic cooperation, also emphasising the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum as a successful platform for discussing ways of enhancing transport, trade, and economic cooperation.