Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif, who arrived in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Monday evening as the second leg of his 3-nation Asia trip, met and talked with his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Janelidze.
Janelidze emphasized the need to bolster ties between Tehran and Tbilisi in various sectors saying “the present meetings between Iran’s FM and high-ranking Georgian officials marks a good opportunity to elevate level of cooperation.”
Speaking at a joint press conference, the Georgian foreign minister said Tbilisi talks were a major step in line with development of bilateral relations as well as that the upcoming visit of Georgian PM to Tehran will offer grounds to seek venues for deepening relations in various fields.
“In 2016, the volume of trade turnover between the two sides grew by 50 percent and the upward trend in still underway,” he underscored.
He said excellent conditions existed in Georgia for investment and Iranian investor were eager to join hands with their Georgian counterparts; “transit collaborations also hold great significance as Iran can exploit Georgia’s potentials en route to Europe.”
Mikheil Janelidze further stated that various dimensions of transport cooperation were being pursued and a rail transport corridor had been defined in order to carry goods from Central Asia to Iran, Georgia and Europe.
Iran’s Zarif, for his part, said frequent meetings between Iranians and Georgians were indications of progress in bilateral relations in various sectors.
He went on to call for cooperation in judicial, academic, transit pathway, banking fields as well as joint ventures, establishment of industrial estates and energy and gas cooperation between the two countries.
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