“Türkiye and Georgia will continue to act shoulder to shoulder for cooperation and development in our region and beyond”

 

Speaking at a joint press conference with President Kavelashvili of Georgia, President Erdoğan said: “We, as Türkiye and Georgia, will continue to act shoulder to shoulder for cooperation, peace and development in our region and beyond. This vision we have displayed during today’s talks proves our determination to build not just today, but also the future in our region.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Mikheil Kavelashvili of Georgia held a joint press conference following their bilateral meeting at the Presidential Complex.

“WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONS”

Stating that Türkiye and Georgia host the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project, and share oil and natural gas lines of strategic importance, President Erdoğan said that Georgia is also the homeland of the Meskhetian Turks, and said: “We have reaffirmed our will to further deepen our relations, which we have built on these social and economic foundations. We will continue to improve especially our trade and investment relations in a way that will contribute to the prosperity of our peoples. That our country has been the biggest trade partner of Georgia for 17 years in a row is an obvious proof that our trade relations have been built upon strong foundations.”

Noting that they achieved the goal of the 3-billion-dollar trade volume, which they had set earlier, in the previous years, President Erdoğan drew attention to the direct Turkish investments and the 5.5-billion-dollar worth of projects Turkish contracting companies have undertaken in Georgia, and added: “We have also discussed the joint projects we have been carrying out in the areas of transportation and logistics with my treasured counterpart. It is of importance for all of us that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which constitutes the backbone of the Middle Corridor, begins operating in full capacity.”

“WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE REGIONAL PEACE AND COOPERATION THROUGH TRILATERAL MECHANISMS”

Stating that they have also exchanged views on regional and international developments, President Erdoğan went on to say: “On this occasion, I would like to reiterate our unshakeable support to Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. We contribute to the regional peace and cooperation through the trilateral mechanisms we have formed with Azerbaijan and Georgia in the areas of foreign policy and security. We are planning to hold the subsequent meeting of foreign ministers in our country soon.”

President Erdoğan continued as follows: “We have addressed the security of the Black Sea, peace processes in the Caucasus, the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian disaster in Gaza with Mr. President. We, as Türkiye and Georgia, will continue to act shoulder to shoulder for cooperation, peace and development in our region and beyond. This vision we have displayed during today’s talks proves our determination to build not just today, but also the future in our region.”