Azerbaijan, Georgia reinforce links
By Christina Tashkevich

03/10/2004 22:58
The Messenger

An Azerbaijani governmental delegation including the country’s foreign
and education ministers continues its visit to Georgia.

The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov, already met with
President Mikheil Saakashvili, Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and the
Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili. Meanwhile the Minister of
Education Misir Mardanov brought humanitarian aid with him to
distribute to Azeri schools in Georgia. The Azeri schools in Marneuli
and Bolnisi regions will receive textbooks and computers as a gift
from the Azerbaijani government.

Georgia’s Minister of Education Kakha Lomaia has traveled to Georgian
schools in Azerbaijan in similar programs to deliver text books and
supplies.

Azerbaijan’s senior Islamic clergyman, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allakhshukur
Pashazade is also in the delegation and is participating in an
international religious conference in Tbilisi. Meanwhile, Pashazade
invited the Georgian Patriarch Ilia II to visit Azerbaijan in the near
future.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister and the Georgian Prime Minister Zurab
Zhvania discussed the future construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum
gas pipeline during their meeting on Tuesday.

The construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will begin
only after the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is constructed
sometime in 2005.

According to Mamedyarov, they discussed other issues of bilateral
relations as well, including economic issues of cooperation. “We have
very good, useful and intensive exchange of opinions,” said the Azeri
foreign minister.

The Azeri media reports that the development of transport
communications between the two countries was also discussed at the
meeting.

Meanwhile, speaking at the Tuesday briefing Mamedyarov said, “There
are no problems in the relations of Azerbaijan and Georgia. There are
only issues which are being decided on in constructive ways.” He added
that both countries have common interests both “on the regional and
international level.”

Talking about Georgia’s possible role as a mediator in resolving the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the foreign minister said, “Baku will only
welcome it if the Georgian side will show this initiative.”

During his visit to celebrate the ‘Contract of the Century’ on
September 20, Zurab Zhvania met with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliev,
who expressed strong support for Georgia. President Aliev said, “A
successful Azerbaijan means a successful Georgia. And the welfare of
Georgia means the welfare of Azerbaijan.”

The Azeri president also declared that Baku supports Tbilisi in its
fight against “aggressive separatism” and recognizes the territorial
integrity of Georgia.