Georgia"s New Authorities Remain Committed to Strategic Partnership with Azerbaijan

The new government of Georgia will retain continuity of foreign policy. This was stated by the Ambassador of Georgia to Azerbaijan Teymuraz Sharashenidze at a press conference on the results of the parliamentary elections in the country, where the opposition coalition "Georgia's dream" won. Its leader Ivanishvili is in charge of the new government. For the first time in post-Soviet Georgia is a peaceful change of government, without revolution and violence, the ambassador said.

He noted that foreign policy priority remains integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, deepening relationships with strategic partners, including the U.S. and Azerbaijan, development of relations with regional neighbors.

At the same time, Georgia will be open to dialogue with Russia. However, the subject of negotiations can not be the issues that are detrimental to the national interests of Georgia. "Three Russian embassies cannot operate in Georgia," said Sharashenidze, indicating unacceptable for Georgia of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In his view, at this stage, we can talk about restoration of economic and cultural ties with Russia.

As for the contacts between the new head of the government of Georgia and the government of Azerbaijan, the first visit of Ivanishvili will be paid to the U.S. After that, obviously, through diplomatic channels, the sides could agree upon a visit to Azerbaijan.

Asked about the situation with the delimitation of the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan, the ambassador called it a "sensitive issue." However, 2/3 of state border agreed. Obviously, after the formation of the new government will be engaged in this issue new persona. The ambassador expressed the hope that the parties will soon be able to successfully complete this topic. "The key to this is the will of the parties," said the Ambassador.

Referring to the project of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, Sharashenidze said that in Azerbaijan and Georgia the work has been completed, and the Turkish side explained the detention of the complexity of the relief.

Georgia remains committed to all regional projects and plans to participate even more actively in regional cooperation.

Official Tbilisi retain continuity with respect to GUAM, the ambassador said, adding that Azerbaijan as the chairmanship of the offers in December to hold the GUAM summit in Baku. -06C-