Georgian, Azerbaijani parliament speakers discuss strategic partnership in Istanbul

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday met with Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Speaker Sahiba Gafarova on the sidelines of the 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul, where the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening strategic cooperation between the neighbouring countries.

The Georgian Parliament’s press office said Papuashvili thanked Gafarova for the participation of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation, led by her, in honouring the memory of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II and attending the funeral ceremony of His Holiness.

During the meeting, the sides highlighted the productive and multifaceted cooperation between Georgia and Azerbaijan, with particular emphasis on strengthening parliamentary ties.

In recognition of Gafarova’s longstanding contribution to enhancing relations between the two legislative bodies, Papuashvili awarded her the Georgian Parliament’s honorary medal.

The officials also reaffirmed their readiness to further deepen the strategic partnership and praised the dynamic of high-level bilateral visits, including Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Georgia.

According to the statement, the two sides welcomed the close cooperation between the legislative bodies, including between parliamentary speakers, sectoral committees and friendship groups.

The meeting also covered the current situation in the South Caucasus, with both parties underscoring the importance of peace and security in the region and expressing readiness to continue working on strategically important regional projects.