2016-07-19
Strategic partnership between Georgia and Turkey is extending - the first session of the high-level Strategic Partnership Council was held today with the participation of the Prime Ministers of respective countries.
Prime Minister of Georgia hoped that Strategic Partnership Council will foster deepening of the cooperation between the countries and active and fruitful partnership will thus be institutionalized. In his speech Giorgi Kvirikashvili emphasized that close political and economic relations between Georgia and Turkey have transformed into strategic partnership.
Prime Minister of Georgia elaborated on regional challenges and situation in the occupied territories of Georgia, According to him, strong support demonstrated by the international community is vitally important. Giorgi Kvirikashvili also outlined terrorism related threats.
"I would like to make clear that we condemn terrorist acts that took place in Turkey. We express full support and solidarity to the Republic of Turkey. I consider that, notwithstanding the challenges faced by both of our countries, we have to demonstrate maximum effect to ensure that development of our region is uninterrupted, that we are implementing joint projects across wide range of areas," - Prime Minister indicated.
According to him, alongside with the close political partnership, active trade and economic relations is one of the key components of Georgian-Turkish relations. Giorgi Kvirikashvili considers that ensuring increased accessibility to the markets is essential to activate trade and economic relations; whereas balancing free trade is crucial to increase Georgian export to Turkish market.
According to the Prime Minister, one of the important dimensions of cooperation is supporting activities of business circles. In this view, Georgia offers numbers of opportunities to the business circles, particularly due to the Association Agreement and the DCFTA.
Cooperation in the energy sector was also discussed during the session. Importance of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline-related projects was emphasized. It was noted that realization of South Energy Corridor projects will foster strengthening of energy safety of the countries and provision of additional volumes of energy from Caspian Sea to the European market.
The members of the Governments of the both countries attended the first session of the high-level Strategic Partnership Council.
Prime Minister's Press Office