Georgian parliamentary delegation, led by parliament speaker Davit Usupashvili, met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other senior officials in Baku on July 7.

The delegation also met speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Oktay Sabir Asadov, as well as Prime Minister Artur Rasizade and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
 
After meeting his Azerbaijani counterpart, the Georgian parliament speaker said that the two sides have once again reiterated “very good” bilateral relations between Georgia and Azerbaijani.

“But it was also noted that lot of work has to be done to make these relations even much better especially against the background of fast-changing situation in the region and in the world in general, significant events are taking place which should be responded by the two countries through close cooperation in order to avoid new threats if such threats emerge and use new chances, whenever such chances emerge,” Usupashvili said.

He also said that Georgia and Azerbaijan “are natural partners” especially in the condition when both Europe and Asia are seeking for alternative transit routes.

“We have discussed new plans and projects, which might be of special interest for the both countries,” Usupashvili said. “We also understand that these are not only economic projects and that these projects are directly related to countries’ security and stability.”

He said that the Georgian lawmakers had “a very warm meeting” with the Azerbaijani President. Usupashvili said that President Aliyev is willing “to further deepen” cooperation with Georgia.

The Georgian parliamentary delegation, which is visiting Baku, also includes lawmakers from the GD ruling coalition, vice-speaker Zviad Dzidziguri; chairman of foreign affairs committee Tedo Japaridze; chairman of sector economy committee Zurab Tkemaladze; chairman of committee for diaspora and Caucasus issues Gubaz Sanikidze; Makhir Darziev and Ali Mamedov, as well as MP Kakha Okriashvili, chairman of independent majoritarians factions.

Before meetings with the Azerbaijani leadership, the Georgian parliament speaker told journalists in Baku that signature of the Association Agreement between Georgia and the EU will lead to certain changes in Georgia’s “legislation field”, but it will “not influence our relations with Azerbaijan.”

“But we want to discuss all these issues in details so that to make all the changes smoothly so that the both countries could benefit from it,” Usupashvili said.