Azerbaijani FM hails growth in freight traffic along Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has praised the significant growth recorded in the volume of freight traffic along the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.

He made the remarks during the Joint Press Conference with his Georgian counterpart Maka Bochorishvili following the expanded meeting at the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Caliber.Az reports, citing an X post of the ministry.

The ministers delivered statements and responded to questions from media representatives on the outcomes of the expanded meeting.

During the press conference, Bayramov said that Azerbaijani-Georgian relations are of a strategic partnership nature and are based on international law.

Jeyhun Bayramov noted that Azerbaijani-Georgian relations are at a high level, have the character of strategic partnership and are based on international law.

Speaking about bilateral cooperation, Bayramov mentioned the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum and Southern Gas Corridor projects. He stressed that these projects make a great contribution to the economic development of both Azerbaijan and Georgia, and added that the volume of freight traffic along the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line shows significant growth.

The Azerbaijani top diplomat said that several countries have expressed interest in joining the "green" energy corridor project, which is being jointly implemented by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania, according to a local media outlet.

Bayramov emphasized that economic relations with Georgia are developing, and both countries have played an important role in the implementation of global regional projects.

"These projects have not only contributed to the development of our economies, improved the well-being of our peoples, but also changed the geoeconomic and energy map of a broader region," said the minister.

Bayramov named the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, and Southern Gas Corridor as the most successful projects.

According to Bayramov, the Green Energy Corridor Caspian–Black Sea–Europe project, which began implementation in 2022, also holds significant importance. "This global project will supply green energy to Europe. The project founders are Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania. Although the project is still in its early stages, several countries have already expressed interest in joining," the minister said.

Commenting on Azerbaijani, Georgian diplomatic efforts, Minister Bayramov said that the two countries continue to follow independent foreign policies based on their national interests, without yielding to external pressures.

FM Bayramov emphasized that attempts by larger states to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign nations are not a new phenomenon, noting that such interventions have occurred throughout history. However, he asserted that both Azerbaijan and Georgia remain committed to pursuing policies that serve their own national interests, rather than succumbing to the influence of external forces.

Following the discussions, Georgian Foreign Minister Bochorishvili invited Jeyhun Bayramov to visit Georgia.

Bochorishvili also expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for supporting Georgia at the multilateral level.

By Khagan Isayev