From Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia

His Excellency Mr Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the government of Georgia, let me congratulate you on the significant progress achieved in the smooth development of the Azeri and Chirag Fields, and the deep water portion of the Gunashli Field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. I believe that the extension of the Joint Development and Production Sharing Agreement is of historic importance and demonstrates that Azerbaijan continues to establish itself as a global energy player.

Looking back on the recent past, Azerbaijan and Georgia initiated close cooperation in the energy field. The two countries, together with Turkey, have successfully built strategic partnerships and developed mutually beneficial energy projects, such as the South Caucasus Gas Pipeline (SCP), Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC), and Baku-Tbilisi-Supsa oil pipeline. For years, crude oil from ACG was exported through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to the Mediterranean Sea and the Baku-Supsa Pipeline to Supsa. Georgia became a reliable transit country.

The realization of these projects illustrates that energy has become an important precondition for us to reduce poverty and promote regional economic growth. On this ground, any progress related to the ACG fields directly reflects our economic prosperity and political significance.

Georgia – serving as a reliable transit country and recognizing Azerbaijan as a strategic partner – especially welcomes such landmark development and hopes that our cooperation will expand and strengthen even further. We also hope the development of joint energy projects will expand, based on the upstream development in Azerbaijan.

Once again, I would like to renew assurances of my highest consideration toward you and please, accept my warmest congratulations.

Sincerely,

Giorgi Kvirikashvili

Prime Minister of Georgia