Georgian FM: Azerbaijan Has Been, Will Remain Strategic Ally & Friend of Georgia
"Azerbaijan has been and will remain a strategic partner and a friend of Georgia. We have no complaints against the state of Azerbaijan, and especially its political leadership," Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani stated in connection with the ongoing investigation into Davit Gareji Monastery Complex located on the conditional border between Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The Minister stressed that the investigation and the search for a fair solution will not damage the friendly relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan.
"Azerbaijan has been and will remain a strategic ally and a friend of Georgia. Neither the opening of investigation, nor talks continued with the Azeri party based on new findings, and nor the process of finding the right solution, during which we’ll try to revise the preliminary border delimitation agreements will ever damage our historically firm and friendly bilateral relations, as we have no claim, and cannot have one, towards the State of Azerbaijan, and especially, towards its political leadership. I want to get this message across very clearly because every responsible and patriotic government does its utmost to uphold the interests of its own country and it is absolutely normal.
"Our society is well informed that during my Azeri colleague’s recent visit to Georgia, we had very meaningful and detailed discussions on the demarcation-delimitation process. We stated it publicly that we agree on the necessity to reach an agreement that meets the interests of both parties, and we will indeed go in this direction. I believe that the discussions within the Commission will be very businesslike and meaningful. During our meeting with the Azeri Party, we, of course, brought to the attention of our Azeri colleagues the newly found cartographic materials, maps and expert findings and clarified to them that our positions could be revised and this should in no case be perceived as our claim against them. They accepted this view.
"We find totally inadmissible any kind of political speculation that this will damage Georgia-Azerbaijan relations, as well as any attempt to tie this to the ongoing confrontation in the neighborhood. I’d like to remind our society that by the time I met with my Azerbaijani colleague the conflict had not even started. So, what we hear from our opponents is just political manipulation and a really anti-state approach. We’ll be consistent in upholding our interests and I am confident we’ll reach the kind of agreement that will be acceptable to both parties and that will not be detrimental to the state interests of either party," the Minister stated.