Azerbaijan, Georgia working to jointly contribute to Europe's energy security - Azerbaijani PM
The official pointed out efforts for increasing the efficiency of the Middle Corridor - a transportation route network connecting China with Europe via the South Caucasus region - through speed of transportation, quality of services and reduced time spent on unloading cargo from Kazakhstan at Georgian ports, and added the Corridor would “indeed become one of the safest and fastest corridors globally”. Photo: Government administration
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Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov on Thursday told the opening event of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum the development of port infrastructure and growth of civil cargo transportation would contribute to increasing the role of Azerbaijan and Georgia as both countries played an important transit role between Europe and Asia.
Asadov said governments of the two countries were working to “jointly contribute” to Europe's energy security and noted strategic projects including the Southern Gas Corridor - a chain of pipelines delivering gas from Azerbaijani’s Shah Deniz field to the European market via Georgia and Turkey - and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project linking the three countries across the South Caucasus.
He also emphasised the strategic partnership agreement signed in Bucharest last year between high officials of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Hungary on the Black Sea submarine electricity cable project - a new transmission route to deliver green energy from the South Caucasus to Europe - noting Bulgaria’s desire to join the project and saying he hoped the project would further enhance energy security of “many countries” in Europe.
The official pointed out efforts for increasing the efficiency of the Middle Corridor - a transportation route network connecting China with Europe via the South Caucasus region - through speed of transportation, quality of services and reduced time spent on unloading cargo from Kazakhstan at Georgian ports, and added the Corridor would “indeed become one of the safest and fastest corridors globally”.
Asadov said ports in western Georgia's Black Sea cities of Batumi and Poti were an “important element” for the Corridor by saying it was “really pleasing” to see Georgia’s efforts in modernisation of railways, construction of ports and development of road infrastructure.
He also added the project for creating a new port infrastructure was on the agenda of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia, noting his Government was “ready to cooperate in this area as well”.
The Azerbaijani PM also extended his gratitude to his counterpart Irakli Garibashvili, while also wishing success to the Forum and noting the discussions and decisions at the event would contribute to the further development of the Great Silk Road and create conditions for expansion of regional cooperation in economy, energy, transport and shipping.
Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenian Prime Minister, highlighted the importance of peace at the ongoing Tbilisi Silk Road Forum by stressing it would be “very complicated to build any bridge” without it, and adding the South Caucasus region was in need of a “lasting peace”.
The Tbilisi Silk Road Forum is a “great platform where ideas meet action”, Ilia Darchiashvili, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, said about the event that opened on Thursday in Georgia’s capital city.
The Tbilisi Silk Road Forum is an “important” and “timely” event in light of the challenges in the Black Sea Region, Zurab Pololikashvili, the Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, said at the opening event of the fourth edition of the event on Thursday.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Thursday said the interest shown for this year’s Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, an event hosting more than 2,000 delegates and guests from up to 60 foreign states, was “extremely high” and added the event’s attraction indicated Georgia’s growing role in the Black Sea region.
Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov on Wednesday arrived in Georgia to participate in the fourth edition of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, set to run in the Georgian capital between Thursday and Friday.
Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov on Thursday said relations between Georgia and his country had reached the level of “strategic partnership” in recent times, in comments made during his ongoing visit to Tbilisi.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has welcomed the delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Europe via Georgia from the Shah Deniz field as the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has began operations earlier today.
Dritan Abazović, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, on Thursday congratulated his Georgian counterpart Irakli Garibashvili for bringing together the Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum.
The “strong, strategic partnership” between Georgia and Azerbaijan and “the centuries-old good neighbourly relations” were discussed on Thursday by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ali Asadov.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said Tbilisi, as an “impartial mediator” between the neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia in their long-running conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, was interested in ensuring a “lasting peace” in the South Caucasus.
Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov on Friday acknowledged talks for peace and development in the South Caucasus region organised by the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at the ongoing Tbilisi Silk Road Forum.
Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said the country’s role as a regional mediator had been “strengthened” during the term of Irakli Garibashvili as the Prime Minister.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Thursday said Georgia and the European Union were “very close allies and partners” in implementing the Black Sea submarine cable project, that intends to connect the grids of the South Caucasus and European Union member countries.
A 20.5 km section of Georgia’s main east-west gas pipeline, constructed near the occupation line in Shida Kartli region in the central part of the country, will improve domestic supply as it becomes operational in the second half of this year, the Ministry of Economy said on Tuesday.