We are ready to work very actively, cooperate and implement a number of projects together, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the Georgian Public Television’s website.
“Obviously, we referred to the situation in the region. I presented to the President the situation in our country. Of course, there is no alternative to peace. All conflicts must be resolved peacefully. With this optimism and enthusiasm, I want to assure you, Mr. President, that we are ready to work very actively, to cooperate, to implement many projects together. Thank you again, our great wish is to see you in Tbilisi,” Garibashvili said.
“I am glad to have the honor of hosting Mr. Irakli Garibashvili and his accompanying delegation in Ankara today. Mr. Prime Minister has already been to Turkey as Minister of Internal Affair and Minister of Defense, he is a leader who knows our country well,” said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a joint press conference with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. According to him, this year is important in the sense that the Georgian diplomatic mission in Ankara was opened 100 years ago and it is the 30th anniversary of Georgia’s independence.
“We discussed face-to-face issues of bilateral relations with the Prime Minister, and then meetings were held between our delegations. Turkey has been a number one trade partner for Georgia in the past 14 years. Irrespective of the fact that 2020 has seen a slight decline in trade volumes, we still aim to increase the trade turnover to 3 billion USD in the nearest future. Negotiations and consultations are also in progress towards extending a Free Trade Agreement. In the energy sector, as in all other sectors, Turkish investments have been made in Georgia, amounting to $ 214 million. We have implemented large, powerful projects with Georgia that completely change the image of the region. One such strategic project is the Southern Gas Corridor, on which we have built this platform. We have initiated multilateral cooperation through connecting mechanisms, various interconnected corridors,” Erdogan said.
According to him, Turkey sees Georgia as the key to regional cooperation. “We also decided to hold a meeting of the Supreme Strategic Council as soon as possible. Using the existing mechanisms, we continue to take strong steps,” the President of Turkey said.
