Azerbaijani President: Georgia, Azerbaijan play “critically important” role in Europe's energy security

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Friday said Georgia and Azerbaijan played a “critically important” role in ensuring Europe's energy security, and noted “this role is growing every day”. 

In his remarks at a press briefing with the visiting Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Aliyev noted the friendly ties and cooperation between the two countries were “crucial” for Europe's energy security.

I was in Georgia six months ago. I was in Mtskheta, and today you are in the Gabala region. I think that we have formed a very good tradition. We are given the opportunity to be introduced to the amazing, historical and cultural heritage of both Georgia and Azerbaijan. This strengthens our friendship”, Aliyev told Garibashvili.

“Georgia and Azerbaijan are closely connected. We have been friends and partners for many years. Our people, citizens consider each other as brothers, and we want our mutual cooperation to develop further in order to contribute to the future of our nations”, the Azerbaijani President continued. 

Aliyev stressed he had discussed “many important issues” with Garibashvili, adding the two officials had reached an agreement that would allow the two countries to carry out “future activities”.

Georgia and Azerbaijan play a critically important role in ensuring Europe's energy security, and this role is growing every day. These friendly ties and cooperation between our countries are of course crucial for Europe's energy security. Every year, we increase the scale and volumes of natural gas deliveries to Europe”, he noted. 

The Azerbaijani leader also highlighted the ties between the two countries covered defence, education, culture, tourism, information technology, agriculture and trade promotion, and expressed his confidence Garibashvili’s visit would contribute to the diversity of ties “even more”.

At the end of last year, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary signed a most important document [for the Black Sea submarine electricity cable project], and in February the first meeting of the Trusteeship Committee was held in Baku. This is a large-scale project and, of course, its successful implementation requires joint efforts from all four countries, and of course the support of the European Union, which has already given great importance to this project”, he concluded.