Georgian Parliament Speaker: relations between Georgia, Azerbaijan has always been based on respect for each other’s sovereignty, independence, national interests

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashili on Monday heartily congratulated the Azerbaijani people on their Independence Day, proudly emphasising the dynamic development of bilateral relations.

In his speech at the event dedicated to the Azerbaijani Independence Day, Papuashvili noted that relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan had always been based on respect for each other’s sovereignty, independence, national interests, and sincere dialogue.

“I heartily congratulate the people of Azerbaijan on their Independence Day. For many years now, I have been addressing you at the Independence Day celebrations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and each time I proudly note that from year to year, relations between our countries are developing dynamically in all directions”, the Speaker said.

“We agree that each country has the right to determine its own future, to protect its national identity and to be guided by its national interests. The relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan are an example of this. A true partnership is not based on uniformity, but on respect for differences. Strong relations are formed when states perceive each other as equal partners, with their own history, traditions and legitimate national interests”, he continued.

Papuashvili highlighted that independence is valuable precisely because it gives a country's government the opportunity to make decisions and determine the country's fate solely based on the will of its own people.

“In today’s world, we often encounter attempts to prioritise global interests and impose ideological uniformity. There is no doubt that international cooperation is vital. It is also important to share interests and reach consensus among countries. However, time has shown us that consensus does not mean uniformity, unity does not equal ignoring one’s own interests, and cooperation does not imply renouncing national identity and state interests”, he noted.

“History has repeatedly shown us that when differences are ignored and diversity is limited, sooner or later, inevitable problems arise. An example of this is the Soviet Union’s attempt to level the interests of peoples, to ignore their history and identity, to suppress the diverse aspirations of peoples. Such systems cannot exist for long”, he continued.

The Speaker further underlined the importance of peace in the South Caucasus region and noted that Georgia had always supported peace and prosperity in the region.

“The peace trend in the South Caucasus clearly demonstrates this truth. The efforts aimed at the peaceful development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which we wholeheartedly welcome, demonstrate that conflict resolution is possible when two sovereign states conduct a direct dialogue based on their own national interests and respect for each other’s sovereignty”, Papuashvili noted.

“Conflict resolution should be achieved through this approach, and not through the intervention of external actors. Such intervention, as a rule, serves the interests of third countries, not the parties to the conflict, and creates insurmountable barriers to peace and real agreement. Therefore, the main mechanism for conflict resolution is respect for sovereignty and political non-interference”, he added.

The Speaker noted that the Georgian Government had always supported peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus region, and in the future, together with the neighboring states, it would continue to work together in this direction.

“The agreements reached during the visit of the Georgian Prime Minister to Azerbaijan, which will contribute to better utilisation of the transit potential of the Middle Corridor and the further economic development of our countries, further deepen the strategic partnership between Georgia and Azerbaijan”, he said.

“The parliaments of our countries make a great contribution to the development of our partnership. These relations are developing at all levels, both within friendship groups and between sectoral committees. In these relations, one can always feel the friendly attitude between the parties and a sincere desire to achieve greater results”, he added.

Papuashvili also noted that it was precisely as a reflection of this special relationship that a month ago, Sahiba Gafarova, the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, was awarded the first honorary medal of the Parliament for her exceptional contribution to our parliamentary relations.

“Once again, I congratulate the Azerbaijani people on their Independence Day and wish them peace, prosperity and success”, he concluded.