Azerbaijani Defense Minister Visits Tbilisi
The Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, is visiting Tbilisi, where he has already met with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze.
Meeting with Prime Minister
According to the Georgian government’s press service, during their meeting, PM Garibashvili and Minister Hasanov discussed the strategic partnership between the two countries and the current agenda for future cooperation.
In that context, they brought attention to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Georgia in October, which, according to the Prime Minister, emphasized the friendly relations between the two nations and the great potential of developing cooperation, including in areas of trade and the economy.
The parties also emphasized the importance of ensuring peace and stability “for the well-being of the people and the development of the region,” with PM Garibashvili noting that “Georgia is ready, in the future, in all possible ways, to promote dialogue between its two neighboring countries.”
As part of those efforts, the two sides mentioned the Peaceful Neighborhood Initiative initiated by Georgia, which brings together countries in the South Caucasus and international partners.
Prime Minister Garibashvili also thanked Minister Hasanov for his “strong support” for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Meeting with Defense Minister
In the meeting between the Azerbaijani and Georgian Defense Ministers, the main subject of discussion was the region’s current security challenges.
According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, the two sides emphasized the importance of deepening the existing close, strategic relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as the trilateral (Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia) cooperation format.
“Juansher Burchuladze and Colonel General Zakir Hasanov discussed the current and future issues of bilateral cooperation in the field of defense and signed the 2023 plan for bilateral cooperation in the defense field,” the Ministry stated.
On that note, Minister Burchuladze announced after the meeting that Georgia and Azerbaijan signed a memorandum on further plans for bilateral relations.
Within the framework of the visit, Minister Hasanov laid a wreath at the Monument of Heroes and is expected to visit the David Aghmashenebeli National Defense Academy of Georgia.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
