Maka Botchorishvili, the Foreign Minister of Georgia, on Wednesday praised her country’s “strategic partnership” with Turkey as being “based on friendship and strong mutual respect”, following a meeting with her Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara. In her comments, she highlighted the partnership was “further reinforced by continuous political dialogue and high-level engagements”.
Minister Botchorishvili told Minister Fidan: “First of all, I would like to thank you for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of my country. The exemplary neighbourliness and friendship between our countries are strengthened by political dialogue, high-level visits, as well as the meeting of the high-level Strategic Council”.“These are important opportunities that we should use to the maximum to further strengthen relations between the two countries and implement common interests”, she Minister added.
Botchorishvili also recognised Turkey’s “key role” in the South Caucasus and its contributions to both global and regional matters. “We see Turkey as a major regional player that has a special role in issues of both global and regional importance. Therefore, it was especially interesting for me to hear your opinions and positions on all issues that affect our region”, she told her counterpart.
The Foreign Minister highlighted the Georgian Government’s “commitment to peace and economic development”, pointing to the importance of cooperation with Turkey and Azerbaijan through trilateral initiatives. “We highly value the trilateral cooperation that connects us with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Over the decades, this strategically important unity has enabled us to implement many beneficial projects. I hope that in the future I will have the opportunity to continue working with you in this format, and together we will contribute to further strengthening our strategic partnership”, Minister Botchorishvili said.
Botchorishvili also expressed gratitude for Turkey’s support in Georgia’s aspirations to join NATO.” “I would like to emphasise the importance of Turkey’s support in Georgia’s aspirations to join NATO. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your efforts and support in this direction”, she noted.
Speaking about trade and economic ties, the Minister highlighted that Turkey remained Georgia’s “number one trading partner”, and both nations had the potential to expand their economic collaboration.
“We must also say that both countries have more potential, and we should direct our efforts to further strengthen relations in this direction in order to make more use of the existing potential. We talked about projects of strategic importance for our region. The joint projects that have already been implemented are unique in their significance, especially considering the concept of the Middle Corridor”, she noted in reference to a logistics route connecting Central Asia and China to Europe via the South Caucasus.
Botchorishvili also pointed to the significance of joint infrastructure projects, such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, all of which she said had strengthened the regional transportation and energy network.
Addressing regional security, Botchorishvili emphasised her Government’s dedication to “peaceful coexistence” in the South Caucasus and willingness to contribute to peace efforts. “In the context of security challenges, we discussed the third anniversary of the war waged by Russia against Ukraine and the resulting security environment, which poses a threat to the security architecture of Europe and the Black Sea. A cessation of the war and a peace agreement are of paramount importance, in terms of European, and particularly regional, security and future peaceful development”, she said.
Minister Botchorishvili also welcomed Turkey’s role in facilitating dialogue between conflicting parties and invited her colleague to Tbilisi. Before the meeting, she visited the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, where she laid a wreath at his grave. Botchorishvili also wrote a note in the memorial book.
