In a message to his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, President Saakashvili congratulated him on winning third term in Wednesday’s presidential election.

“My dear friend,” Saakashvili says in his message to Aliyev on October 10, “this is fully deserved historic victory.”

“Despite of all the tricks by enemies of Azerbaijani, this victory crowned the fantastic progress, which Azerbaijan has achieved under your leadership. The Azerbaijani people have appreciated it and the history will appreciate it too.”

“This victory is important not only for the independence of Azerbaijan, but for the post-Soviet states too; it represents a decisive factor for the entire post-Soviet space. What you have achieved gives hope to the Georgian people and other freedom loving nations in the region,” wrote Saakashvili, adding that he’s confident of further development of “strategic partnership” between Azerbaijan and Georgia.
 
A presidential candidate of the ruling coalition Georgian Dream, Giorgi Margvelashvili, also made a congratulatory message, saying that “results of popular support is a convincing proof of your high authoritativeness.”

“I am sure that the choice of the Azerbaijani people will bring further achievements, successes, prosperity and peace to your country,” Margvelashvili wrote. “We believe that your future activities will further strengthen traditional brotherly relations between the Azerbaijani and Georgian people and will also strengthen peace and prosperity in our countries and in the region as a whole.”