Georgia interested in “lasting” regional peace as “impartial mediator” between Azerbaijan, Armenia - PM
Georgian and Azerbaijani PMs at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new building of the Tbilisi State Azerbaijan Drama Theatre named after Heydar Aliyev. Photo: Government press office
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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.
In his address at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new building of the Tbilisi State Azerbaijan Drama Theatre named after Heydar Aliyev, the PM stressed he personally, and his office, were “ready to contribute” to the process.
Pointing to the “long history” of the Theatre in the Georgian capital, with the initial venue dating back to 1872, Garibashvili said “we are all happy today by the construction of a new, modern building”, which he said would become “another attractive site” of Tbilisi.
Recalling the visit of the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Tbilisi earlier this month, Garibashvili said he had visited an exhibition dedicated to the “national leader of Azerbaijan”, Heydar Aliyev, with his son after a “fruitful meeting and discussion”, and said the launch of the new theatre was related to the 100th birthday of the late leader, marked Azerbaijan this year.
This day is a proof of strong friendship and cooperation between Georgia and Azerbaijan”, Garibashvili said.
The PM also extended gratitude to the Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov, who attended the event with him, for participating in the ongoing Tbilisi Silk Road Forum.
The Azerbaijani Theatre in Tbilisi was founded in 1872 and operated until 1947, before resuming its functions in 2004.
The newly replaced venue was in a state of disrepair, with the new building situated next to the Azerbaijani Embassy on Gorgasali Street in the city, the Georgian Government’s press office said.
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.
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”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday told the opening event of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum the country understood the “cost of war” and recognised the “value of peace”.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Sunday arrived in Georgia on an official visit, the Government Administration said.
The “positive cooperation” between the Georgian Government and the International Maritime Organisation, and support in the former’s implementation of reforms were discussed on Friday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Kitack Lim, the Secretary General of the IMO.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Georgian Parliament, on Friday said Tbilisi had “great desire” for the “friendly and neighbouring” countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a peace deal in their long-running conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament’s Vice Speaker, on Sunday highlighted the importance of the meeting of the prime ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia on the sidelines of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum last week.
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.
Gotcha Javakhishvili, the Georgian Ambassador to France, on Thursday said Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili would feature in a panel discussion over security challenges and stability in the South Caucasus region at the 6th Paris Peace Forum on Friday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday told a panel discussion at the Paris Peace Forum Georgia was “one of the fastest-growing economies in the world” along with Armenia.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Parliament Speaker of Georgia, on Tuesday said the Azerbaijani Government "appreciated" the initiative of the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili to mediate for its peace talks with Armenia for resolving their long-standing conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.