Azerbaijan, Georgia held economic forum in Batumi

Opening the forum Economic Development Minister of Georgia Irakli Chogovadze greeted the delegation of Azerbaijan and forum participants.

On the economic reforms being carried out in Georgia, Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideil said the reforms promoted dramatic increase in foreign investment. He called for active participation of Azerbaijani investors in economic projects in Georgia, stressing that necessary conditions for them will be created. Tax reforms are going on in Georgia with new Tax Code to go into effect in January 2007.

According to Mr. Nogaideli, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project was realized due to Azerbaijan national leader Heydar Aliyev's foreign policy. Georgian Minister expressed his confidence that this forum will be fruitful for developing bilateral Georgia-Azerbaijan ties.

Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Artur Rasizade expressed his satisfaction with his participation in the meeting of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, which is held in parallel with the forum. He said the main objective is to elevate the cooperation in all sectors between the countries to a new high. According to Artur Rasizade, it is natural that both Azerbaijan and Georgia live and develop in the market economy conditions. Therefore, it is important to develop not only interstate relations but also relationship between private structures, he added.

Informing the forum participants about the Azerbaijan's economic achievements for the past period Artur Rasizade said there are new possibilities for cooperation between the businessmen of both countries. According to him, the forum will create conditions to achieve this; businessmen will establish contacts with one another; new ideas will emerge. He said Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Mikhail Saakashvili support these ideas as all initiatives help elevate bilateral relations to a new high and improve welfare of both peoples. Then, Deputy Economic Development Minister of Azerbaijan Niyazi Seferov delivered a report "Economy of Azerbaijan: current situation and prospects of development" while Economic Development Minister of Georgia Irakli Chogovadze and head of Ajaristan government Levan Varshalomidze reported on "Economic Prospects of Georgia" and "Opportunities in Ajaristan".

/AzerTAg/