Georgian President pays one-day visit

Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze’s airplane landed in the Baku airport at 12.30 on Saturday, as Azeri President Heydar Aliyev greeted the distinguished guest. Straight from the airport, the Georgian President was taken to the Alley of Martyrs to pay tribute to those who have perished for their country.

Afterwards, the two presidents held a one-hour closed-door meeting at the President’s office and were then joined by delegations of the two countries.

Following the meeting the parties signed a package of inter-governmental agreements and documents on the transit, transportation and sale of natural gas. Signing the documents first were Georgiy Chanturia, president of the Georgian International Oil Corporation, and Majid Karimov, the Azeri fuel and energy minister. The documents were then signed by the presidents of thew two countries.

Addressing the signing ceremony, President Aliyev said both their private meeting and the one on the level of delegations had been a success. Signing of the document carries tremendous importance and is a part of a new oil strategy Azerbaijan has pursued since 1994. “Back when the Contract of the Century was being signed we were considering oil export alternatives and I think we have chosen the right way”, H. Aliyev said. He then spoke of the successful solution of the Baku-Supsa, Baku-Novorossiysk and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline issues, adding that there is a trillion cubic meters of gas in the Shah-Daniz field. He then indicated that the export route through Georgia represents historic importance for Azerbaijan, Georgia, the entire region, and for their integration with Europe. The Azeri President then expressed his confidence that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline projects would be successfully implemented and that this would give both countries both economic and political dividends and contribute to regional security.

In his remarks, Mr. Shevardnadze congratulated the audience on the occasion of signing and described the Shah-Daniz project as a large-scale one. He then praised his Azeri counterpart for making the signing happen at last. “There were some complications, but the Azeri President made a decision in favor of Georgia and contrary to Azerbaijan’s interests. This is evidence to the fact that Azerbaijan is a reliable neighbor”, he said.

The main talking point during a subsequent news conference was the security of the gas pipeline amid accusations of Georgia and Azerbaijan of terrorist links. H. Aliyev said it was no easy task, especially given the conflicts in the region. “But if we have coped with other challenging tasks, I am sure we can handle this one too”, he said. As far as allegations of terrorism are concerned, H. Aliyev stated that presidents of the two countries had themselves been targets of terror attacks. “Azerbaijan has always been opposed to terrorism, separatism, extremism and religious fanaticism”, he announced.

Mr. Shevardnadze agreed with his counterpart, saying “Terrorism must be eradicated”.

Asked what Azerbaijan and Georgia would do to combat terrorism within the CIS, Mr. Aliyev said there was no need to make any division in the struggle against a universal evil.

In response to a question whether the persecution of Azeris in Georgia was a part of the state policy, the Georgian President said, “Everything is alright there”.

On Saturday night, the Georgian President left back for Georgia.*