Statement of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Maka Botchorishvili following the Trilateral Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Georgia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Honourable Ministers,
Distinguished members of the delegations,
Esteemed representatives of the media,

First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to my Turkish counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Hakan Fidan, and his team for their excellent hospitality in this beautiful city.

Today, in the city of Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye, the 10th trilateral meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Georgia, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan was held. I am pleased to have had the opportunity, together with my esteemed colleagues, to once again reaffirm the close political dialogue, mutual trust and the strategic importance of cooperation among our countries.

We have gathered here today not only as the representatives of three states, but as partners united by a shared vision of peace, prosperity and common development.

Over the years, our cooperation has clearly demonstrated that partnership based on mutual respect and shared interests yields significant results both for our countries and for the wider region.

Georgia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have, over the years, served as the best example of successful regional cooperation based on equality, mutual respect and the consideration of shared interests.

The success of our partnership is evidenced by numerous significant infrastructure, energy and transport projects which are important not only for our countries but also for the entire region.

Over the years, the trilateral format has evolved into one of the most effective and successful mechanisms of regional cooperation, and I am pleased that today we are able to assess the practical outcomes of this collaboration.

In view of the challenges of the contemporary international environment, the trilateral format provides us with an opportunity to work in a coordinated manner toward the advancement of our shared interests.

Today, together with my colleagues, we discussed ongoing developments in the region and globally, existing challenges, and prospects for further developing and strengthening our cooperation.

We signed a Joint Declaration outlining the key directions of our cooperation.

Georgia is linked with Türkiye and Azerbaijan through strategic partnership and multifaceted cooperation. Our relations are founded on good-neighbourly relations and trust. Türkiye and Azerbaijan are Georgia’s largest trading partners.

Our cooperation encompasses political, economic, transport, energy, defence, cultural, technological, and other key areas. Today, we devoted particular attention to issues of regional security and the maintenance of peace.

We emphasised that sustainable peace and stability in the South Caucasus constitute an essential prerequisite both for the development of the region and for broader international security.

Our shared objective is to shape our region into a space of cooperation, economic development, connectivity and prosperity, where states can fully realise their existing potential and further deepen partnership based on common interests.

We welcome the positive dynamics in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and express hope that this process will contribute to the establishment of long-term peace in the region.

Georgia, for its part, stands ready to continue contributing to the promotion of peace, stability and constructive cooperation in the region. We also welcome the progress achieved in the normalization of relations between Türkiye and Armenia.

The occupation of two regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, by the Russian Federation, and the situation in Georgia’s occupied territories, constitute a security challenge not only for Georgia, but for the entire region.

International support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is of particular importance, and I would like once again to express my gratitude to the Republic of Türkiye and the Republic of Azerbaijan for their steadfast support.

Today, we discussed issues of regional connectivity, as well as transport and energy cooperation. The strategic location of our countries and existing infrastructure capacities play an important role in connecting Europe and Asia.

We will continue our cooperation to strengthen the role of our countries in promoting the development of secure, sustainable and efficient transit, trade and economic links, thereby serving as a reliable bridge between Europe and Asia.

In this context, we placed particular emphasis on the Middle Corridor, which is emerging today as one of the key routes for international trade and transit. We expressed our readiness to continue close cooperation to further enhance its competitiveness, efficiency and attractiveness.

We welcomed the full-scale operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, a crucial component of the Middle Corridor, which provides additional opportunities to strengthen regional connectivity.

Particular attention was drawn to the important role of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye in the transportation of energy resources and the promotion of energy security.

The success of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum projects, as well as the strategic significance of the Southern Gas Corridor, was highlighted. At the same time, focus was placed on the development of the Green Energy Corridor, in which our countries also have an important role to play.

In this regard, particular importance is attached to the Black Sea submarine power transmission cable project, which will contribute to strengthening the energy security of both the Black Sea region and Europe, while creating new opportunities for interregional cooperation.

We discussed the further expansion of trilateral cooperation across various sectors and the prospects for implementing new initiatives.

There is a strong political will to further deepen our partnership and translate it into more tangible results.

In conclusion, I would like to note that today’s meeting once again reaffirmed the special significance of Georgia-Azerbaijan-Türkiye cooperation, the resilience of our partnership and its substantial potential for future development.

I am confident that the close partnership among our countries will continue to make a significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, connectivity and economic development in the region. Georgia will remain a reliable partner and will actively continue its efforts to further deepen cooperation based on our shared interests.

We agreed that Georgia will host the next meeting, the next ministerial will be held in Georgia. I look forward to welcoming the Foreign Ministers of Türkiye and Azerbaijan to our country next year. 

Once again, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my Turkish colleague for the warm hospitality.

Thank you!