BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit
Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring
January 1, 2018 Monday


Georgia replies to Azeri concerns about Armenian transit


By BBC Monitoring

The Azerbaijani Parliament has expressed dissatisfaction with the
recent statement by Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who
said Armenia could be allowed to transport its cargoes to Russia via
Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the
Azerbaijani Haqqin.az website reported on 29 December.

Haqqin.az quoted MP Farac Quliyev as saying that it was necessary to
officially protest in this connection, as Azerbaijan that is involved
in a conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region is trying
to keep Armenia in a transport blockade.

MP Qudrat Hasanquliyev reminded that Azerbaijan was implementing large
projects jointly with Georgia and demanded that the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry summon the Georgian ambassador to provide
explanations, Haqqin.az reported.

MP Aflatun Amasov said that by resorting to this step, Georgia would
recognise that its territorial integrity could be violated.

Azerbaijani Milli Maclis [Parliament] Chairman Oqtay Asadov said
Georgian experts had also said that such steps that went contrary to
Azerbaijan's interests were inadmissible. "Someone in Georgia probably
wants to spoil our relations. However, I do not believe that the
Georgian government will resort to this step. We have built a railway
to Kars, [Turkey, via Georgia]. Georgia is benefiting from this. Let
us task the friendship group to look into this issue," Haqqin.az
quoted Asadov as saying.

Georgian MP Zviad Dzidziguri, who is affiliated to the ruling Georgian
Dream party, reacted to the criticism from Azerbaijan, the Georgian
Interpressnews agency reported on 31 December.

"I would like to respond to the initiative voiced in the Azerbaijani
Milli Maclis and, as the head of the Georgia-Azerbaijan friendship
group, express readiness to hold consultations with our Azerbaijani
colleagues on all important issues of mutual interest. We are ready to
organise such a meeting in the near future," Interpressnews quoted
Dzidziguri as saying and adding that relations with Azerbaijan were
"of major importance for Georgia and further development of friendly
relations between the two countries is a priority issue on our
agenda".

Source: BBC Monitoring in Georgian and Russian 1257 gmt 31 Dec 17