ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 9, 2004 Tuesday

Georgia seeks rapprochement with Azerbaijan, Armenia – Saakashvili

by Vitali Makarchev

PARIS, March 9 – One of the most important geo-political tasks of the
Georgian leadership at present is to create a zone of democracy,
stability and advanced development in the Caucasus region on the
basis of rapprochement of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, President
Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia told a news conference here on
Tuesday.

He said he had held a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilkham
Aliyev to discuss this ambitious project. “In Ilkham Aliyev, I see a
bright and deep politician,” Saakashvili said.

He indicated that the integration process between Georgia and
Azerbaijan would be intensified. He said, “We believe that Armenia
will join us at a certain phase.”

Along with economic rebirth, Saakashvili sees consolidation of
democracy in the Caucasus as one of the chief aims of rapprochement,
which, in turn, will tell positively on the on the Middle and Near
East.