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.