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  • BAKU: Saakashvili, Aliyev reaffirm two nations commitments

    AzerNews, Azerbaijan
    March 11 2004

    Saakashvili, Aliyev reaffirm two nation's commitments

    Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's March 4-5 official visit to
    Azerbaijan, after only Russia and the United States, as well as
    signing of a joint Declaration by the two presidents and the
    settlement of the problems impeding

    the development of bilateral relations, confirmed the continuation of
    the relations established between the two governments by former
    Azerbaijani and Georgian presidents Heydar Aliyev and Eduard
    Shevardnadze in 1993. The Georgian President was welcomed at Bina
    Airport by Prime Minister Artur Rasizada, Foreign Minister Vilayat
    Guliyev and other state officials.

    Talking to journalists at the airport, Saakashvili said that his
    visit to Azerbaijan, after only Russia and the United States, proved
    that he attached great importance to this country. He noted that he
    would discuss a number of important issues with President Ilham
    Aliyev. The Georgian President left Bina Airport for the Cemetery of
    Honors to pay tribute at the graves of Heydar Aliyev and his wife
    Zarifa Aliyeva. The Georgian President was accompanied by Mayor of
    Baku Hajibala Abutalibov. Then, visiting the Cemetery of Martyrs,
    Saakashvili put a wreath in front of the memorial complex for victims
    of the 20 January tragedy and Garabagh war. He made notes in the Book
    of Memory.

    Presidential meeting
    The same day Saakashvili held a private meeting with President Ilham
    Aliyev. The two presidents focused on the development of bilateral
    cooperation and the continuation of economic relations. The private
    meeting was followed by a large meeting with the participation of
    government delegations of the two countries. At the end of the
    meeting, a number of bilateral agreements were signed. Aliyev and
    Saakashvili signed a joint Declaration between Azerbaijan and
    Georgia. Then the two countries' ministers for education and foreign
    affairs signed agreements on educational cooperation, as well as on
    cooperation between the Azerbaijani and Georgian governments in the
    sphere of information. Following the sighing of the agreements, the
    two presidents held a joint news conference. President Aliyev said
    that it was important to maintain and expand traditional friendly and
    fraternal relations between the two neighboring countries. "Our
    countries are strategic partners," said Aliyev. Touching upon
    bilateral economic cooperation including the implementation of huge
    energy projects, President Aliyev noted that the constructions of the
    Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum
    gas pipeline would be completed on schedule. He expressed his hope
    that the economic projects would give impetus to the expansion of
    bilateral cooperation. Saakashvili, in turn, said that the goal of
    his Baku visit was to discuss with Azerbaijani state officials the
    opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation, the construction
    of the BTC pipeline as well as the pre-parliamentary election
    situation in Georgia. Noting that this was his first official visit
    to Baku as Georgia's President, Saakashvili underlined that
    Azerbaijan remained as an exclusive partner for Georgia.

    Georgia determined to realize Caspian oil, gas projects
    Stressing that his country intends to develop bilateral relations in
    all spheres, the Georgian President said, "This visit is a rare
    opportunity for me to closely get to know the new leader of
    Azerbaijan. I have a great respect for him and I'm ready to learn
    from him." Touching upon large energy projects, the Georgian
    President stressed that the BTC pipeline was a "vitally important
    issue" for his country. "A generation of new presidents, as well as
    new energy and new force has come to Azerbaijan and Georgia," he
    emphasized. Saakashvili went on to say that Azerbaijan was not only a
    neighboring and friendly country but also a fraternal one for
    Georgia. He stated that during his meeting with President Aliyev the
    further improvement of relations, the establishment of a unified
    tariff system, the removal of a number of economic, customs and legal
    impediments and the synchronization of the tax systems were in focus.
    "Both countries have an opportunities to become the countries of a
    common market and we will achieve our goals," Saakashvili stressed.
    According to the Georgian President, the establishment of a common
    economic area between the two countries may lay the groundwork for
    integration into Europe. Underlining that the Georgian government is
    interested in developing relations with the United States, Russia and
    Turkey, Saakashvili stated that the relations with Azerbaijan
    shouldn't be limited to oil pipelines. Touching upon joint energy
    projects, the Georgian President said that his country would do
    everything to complete the realization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
    pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline projects, which
    are issues of energy security for Georgia. Saakashvili noted that he
    had information on the attempts by certain forces active outside
    Georgia and Azerbaijan to hinder the construction of the BTC pipeline
    under the pretext of ecological problems. "However, Georgia's new
    leadership won't allow these forces to achieve their goals and the
    project will be completed on schedule," he stressed. Asked what kind
    of measures will be taken in order to improve the living standards of
    the Azerbaijani population of Georgia, the Georgian President said,
    "The Azerbaijani population is 'the most faithful' to the Georgian
    state. Their integration into all socio-political processes should be
    ensured. If Azerbaijanis, by maintaining their own language and
    culture as well as by learning Georgian, take an active role in the
    country's life, they can be represented in the governmental
    structures. Commenting on the issue of granting Armenians living in
    Javakhetiya province of Georgia autonomy, Saakashvili stated that
    such demands originate not from the local population but from
    'foreign centers'. The Georgian President returned home in the
    afternoon on March 5. Prior to leaving Baku the Georgian President
    visited the Sangachal terminal and Deepwater Jacket Factory. Briefing
    journalists at Bina Airport, Saakashvili said his talks with
    President Ilham Aliyev were fruitful for the two countries. Stressing
    that the Azerbaijani-Georgian relations would continue to develop,
    the Georgian President called the two friendly countries 'a unified
    organ'. Expressing satisfaction with his visit, the Georgian
    President voiced his confidence that the construction of the
    Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline would be completed on schedule. "No
    one should doubt it. We will take measures against those who oppose
    the project," he emphasized.

    Biography
    Saakashvili was born the son of an educated man in Tbilisi on
    December 21, 1967. His father Nikolos Saakashvili is a doctor and his
    mother - a historian. After leaving secondary school in Tbilisi with
    a golden medal in 1984, Mikhail Saakashvili went to the faculty of
    international law of Kiev University. He worked as the head of the
    office for the Committee on Human Rights and International Relations
    in Georgia in 1993. Then he continued his education at the Strasbourg
    University on Human Rights and Columbia University getting a master's
    degree. Saakashvili also graduated from George Washington University
    with a PhD. He also attended Florence Law Academy and Hague Academy
    of International Law, worked for the Norwegian Institute of Human
    Rights and then acted as an advocate at a legal company in New York.
    He is married to Sandra Roelofs, who is Dutch. Returning to Tbilisi
    in 1995, Saakashvili was elected an MP from the bloc of the ruling
    Union of Georgian Citizens, became chairman of the committee on
    constitution and legal issues and then the leader of "The Union of
    Georgian Citizens" faction in 1998. He represented Georgia at the
    Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in 1999 and worked as
    the Georgian Minister for Justice in 2000. Resigning from this post
    in 2001, Saakashvili took the side of opposition and sharing the
    majority of votes with the Labor Party during the municipal elections
    the same year, he was elected a chairman of Tbilisi Sagrebulos
    (council). Together with his supporters Saakashvili, founder of the
    National Movement political union, managed to invalidate the results
    of the parliamentary elections held on November 20, 2003 and forced
    former Georgian President Shevardnadze to resign. Saakashvili was
    elected President on January 4. This is his first official visit to
    Baku as Georgia's President, but he visited Baku to attend the
    funeral of Heydar Aliyev before presidential elections in Georgia.

    By Azernews Staff
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