AVRASYA İNCELEMELERİ MERKEZİ CENTER FOR EURASIAN STUDIES ALYIEV: AZERBAIJAN IS GEORGIA'S TOP INVESTOR - 13.03.2018 Georgia Today (12 March 2018) Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev says Azerbaijan has been Georgias top investor since 2012 and recognizes the rich investment climate in Georgia. Alyiev made the statement at the meeting with the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili in Baku, on March 12. Trade turnover between Georgia and Azerbaijan is growing every year and the cooperation between our countries is advancing, Alyiev told Kvirikashvili. The President of Azerbaijan also underlined the importance of the Prime Minister's visit and high level bilateral relations between the countries. I am sure your visit will contribute to the development of Georgia-Azerbaijan relations. We successfully cooperate in many different fields, Ayliev added. He also highlighted that Georgia and Azerbaijan are cooperating in regional projects like the Trans- Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway project, opened in October. This year TANAP's realization will take our cooperation to a higher level. Our relationship is not only on a regional but also on a global level, and our success is further strengthened by our friendship and brotherhood, Alyiev stated. The Georgian PM thanked the President for his warm welcome. We are very happy that economic relations between our countries are on the path to prosperity. Last year there was a significant increase in bilateral trade-economic relations. Azerbaijan is the first investment partner of Georgia and, according to statistical data, Azerbaijan is also in first place by the number of tourists, he said. Kvirikashvili congratulated Alyiev on the 100th anniversary of the announcement of the first republic. Georgian PM arrived in Baku on Monday. An official welcoming ceremony was held at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, with the national anthems of Georgia and Azerbaijan performed. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili was greeted by First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Yaqub Eyyubov. Kvirikashvili will also meet his Azerbaijani counterpart Artur Rasizade, followed by wider-format negotiations between members of the two countries' governments. http://georgiatoday.ge/news/9434/Alyiev%3A-Azerbaijan-is-Georgia%27s-Top-Investor Kaynak/Source: .