On 4 December 2008, Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Artur Rasi-Zade visited Georgia on a working visit to take part in the Meeting of Georgia-Azerbaijani Intergovernmental Economic Commission.
The Courtyard Marriott Hotel hosted the Meeting of the Georgia-Azerbaijani Intergovernmental Economic Commission. The parties discussed economic cooperation issues and touched upon the opportunities to develop relations in such areas as energy, transport and environmental protection.
After the Meeting, the Prime Ministers signed the Protocol Meeting N 5 of the Georgia-Azerbaijani Intergovernmental Economic Commission.
At the end of the signature ceremony, Prime Minister of Georgia Grigol Mgaloblishvili and Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Artur Rasi-Zade met with the representatives of the media.
Prime Minister of Georgia Grigol Mgaloblishvili welcomed again the Prime Minister of a sister, friendly Azerbaijan and thanked all the members of the Commission "for their work that they had done within the framework of the Economic Commission."
"Protocol Meeting N 5 of the Joint Economic Commission covers a wide range of bilateral relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan and is going to play a significant role in further developing the relations between us," commented Grigol Mgaloblishvili at the press conference.
In turn, the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan greeted the audience, noting that the parties had discussed a number of issues regarding the bilateral relations. "I have officially invited the Prime Minister of Georgia to Baku," Artur Rasi-Zade commented.
Asked by a media representative on what stage the Baku-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Karsi Railway Project is, the Prime Minister of Georgia answered that they had discussed the matter at the face-to-face meeting as well as at the meeting of the Commission. "The project has vast perspectives. Although the name of the project is Baku-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Karsi, its significance transcends the region. At the meeting of the Commission we re-emphasized that active work will be continued to carry out the project. The competent agencies of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey are working hard to make sure that the project is realized soon."
In turn, Artur Rasi-zade stated that Azerbaijan and Georgia are closely monitoring the project. "The project implementation is delayed due to the circumstances that you are well aware of but on this stage the works are being done at a fast pace. I hope that the project will be completed by 2010. In Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, a project implementation monitoring group has been formed to control everything," he added.
Press Center of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia