Georgian Defence Minister: Azerbaijan is our strategic partner

Tbilisi. 27 May. REPORT.AZ/ Tbilisi hosts a meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Defence and Security Committee.

Georgia bureau of Report News Agency informs, speeking at the meeting, Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria talked about his country’s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, reforms in Armed Forces, works done in the field of international cooperation.

Member of Azerbaijani delegation Siyavush Novruzov told that Azerbaijani state and people support Georgia’s integration with Europe and NATO.

Talking about threats of international terrorism and separatism, S.Novruzov noted that Azerbaijan, just like Georgia, faces occupation of its territories: “Armenian armed forces occupied 20% of our lands. Threats continue even today”.

S.Novruzov asked a question to the minister: “It is known that such important projects like oil and gas pipelines Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan, Baku-Supsa, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, railway Baku-Tbilisi-Kars pass through the territory of Georgia. There was an attempt of exploding these pipelines in 2008. ASALA terror organization numerous times threatened to blast these pipelines. Which measures are taken by Georgian Armed Forces to protect these projects?”

L.Izoria noted in reply to the question that Azerbaijan is a strategic partner of Georgia: “My first visit as a minister was made to Azerbaijan. Terror and separatism threats are real nowadays. Georgia fights against terror and separatism. Provision of security of energy and infrastructure projects is one of priorities of Georgia. However, joint struggle against threats can be more efficient. That’s why we prefer trilateral cooperation. Fifth meeting of Azerbaijani, Georgian and Turkish defence ministers took place nowadays. We talked over very important issues at this meeting. In coming days, we will hold military exercises within trilateral cooperation. Another military exercise with the attendance of servicemen of all three countries will be held in September. I think that we will be able to ensure efficient protection and security of global projects based on our trilateral cooperation”.

Deputy Chairman of Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani Parliament), head of permanent Azerbaijani delegation in NATO PA, Ziyafet Asgarov, lawmaker Siyavush Novruzov participated at the event.

Notably, a meeting of NATO PA Economics and Security and Science and Technology Committees was also held today.