Tbilisi: Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili on Monday held a one-on-one meeting with Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev at the Presidential Palace in Tbilisi. The two discussed the high level of strategic partnership between the countries and successful cooperation across various sectors, Kavelashvili said.

According to Anadolu Agency, Kavelashvili emphasized that maintaining the existing strong strategic partnership between Georgia and Azerbaijan at a high standard, as well as fostering its multifaceted development, remains a priority for Georgia. He shared these sentiments on the US social media platform X, highlighting the importance of regional peace and stability amid ongoing geopolitical developments.

Separately, Azerbaijan's presidential press service reported that Aliyev and Kavelashvili stressed the significance of joint transport and energy projects implemented by Azerbaijan and Georgia, noting their strategic and economic importance. The meeting also addressed the role of the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia in ensuring stability and security in the South Caucasus.

Following talks with Kavelashvili, Aliyev held an expanded meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. During a joint press conference with Kobakhidze, Aliyev noted that Georgia and Azerbaijan exceeded $800 million in trade last year. He expressed optimism about reaching the one-billion-dollar mark by the end of the year, citing Georgia's favorable investment climate, which has encouraged Azerbaijani investors. Azerbaijan has invested $3.7 billion in the Georgian economy.