PAATA DAVITAYA: "AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA ARE TURNING INTO THE LEADING POWERS IN THE RESOLUTION OF PROBLEMS OF ECONOMY, SECURITY AND GEOPOLITICS IN THE CAUCASUS"

Today.Az
politics/50078.html
Jan 13 2009
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with vice speaker of Georgian parliament Paata
Davitaya.

– First of all, we would like to congratulate you on being appointed
for a responsible position of the deputy head of the Georgian
parliament. We would like to learn your opinion of prospects of
further development of relations with Azerbaijan including on the
parliamentary level?

– Thanks for congratulations. I am a member of the parliamentary group
of friendship Azerbaijan-Georgia. For me Azerbaijan is a close state,
I am a professor of the National Academy of Science of Azerbaijan. No
matter where I am, when I speak of Georgia I always mention Azerbaijan.

It is not by accident. Problems of Georgia and Azerbaijan are
similar. This is primarily the problem of territorial integrity. My
position regarding Karabakh is well-known: the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan must be restored and the Karabakh problem be settled
in these frames.

– Heads of external political structures of Georgia and the United
States signed a charter of bilateral cooperation late last week. What
role does this document play for Georgia?

– This is an important, I would even say, a historical document
for Georgia. It supports the territorial integrity of Georgia,
raises issue of security of our country, a joint struggle for this
security. This is a wide concept, which is of great importance for
us. It proves the appearance of the strategic partner of Georgia. You
know that the United States have signed such a charter on partnership
and support only with several countries. This document is among one
of the main guarantors of Georgia’s security. It is important that
this document was signed today. I think the August events in Georgia
have promoted its soonest signing.

– Is the dislocation of US military bases on Georgian territory
possible on the basis of this document? Is it possible to say that
the charter rules out the repetition of August events?

– You know, nothing can be ruled out, this is my personal view. As
for the dislocation of US military bases in Georgia, the charter does
not imply it, though it can be considered one of the main guarantors
of security of the Georgian state. This charter enables the United
States to act opely in assisting to Georgia. It is difficult to say
what the assistance imply, today we speak of the financial and legal
assistance and so on, but it does not imply hostilities.

It is true that stopping aggression is among its main messages. But it
would be incorrect to say that the charter promotes the non-invasion of
Georgia by Russian troops as Russia’s actions are difficult to predict.

– What can you say of ways of normalizing relations with Russia?

– It is necessary to hold a dialogue with Russia and Georgian side is
ready to it. The second issue – it is necessary to settle issues with
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. No one in Georgia will ever recognize
independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, no one in Georgia will
ever make any concessions in the resolution of this issue. Taking
this account I think that it is necessary to settle this problem some
way and join efforts for the purpose. If this, main, problem is not
settled in this relations between Georgia and Russia, no problem will
ever be settled.

– Azerbaijan and Georgia are strategic partners in joint energy
problems. Is the bilateral cooperation profitable in the resolution of
not only our own tasks, but also global issues, especially of energy
security of Europe in conditions of the current gas crisis?

– I think this cooperation is very perspective. Such partnership
between Azerbaijan and Georgia already exists and in case of its
further deepening and appearance of more strategic tasks, then I think
our two countries will be dominating in resolution of any other issues,
especially security and geopolitical problems in the Caucasus.

Today we see that Europe is searching an alternative to the working
energy system. In fact, Azerbaijan, that has already created an
alternative for Georgia, and helps our country, will be an alternative
for Europe as well. Thus, it is a global issue. I do not want to go
deeper into this topic, but this is among the main issues, which will
face us in the future.