Azerbaijan, Baku, July 22 / Trend I. Khalilova /
Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri will arrive in Baku to participate in the meeting of Azerbaijani-Georgian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation July 23, the government of the country said. Co-chairman of the Azerbaijani side is Prime Minister Artur Rasizade.
Two governments will discuss points of agreement on gas supplies, construction of a 500-kilovolt transmission line, construction of the railway Baku-Tbilisi-Kars as well as Rustavi-Baku along with the current state of cooperation and activity within the long-term economic cooperation until 2018.
Today, the Georgian government guarantees the safety of investments. So, Azerbaijani investors are interested to enter the Georgian market in connection with the tax regime, the liberalization of the market.
At present, Azerbaijani companies operate actively in Tbilisi. SOCAR opened a representative office in Tbilisi, invested in the oil terminal Kulevi, petrochemical complex Petkim, in the construction of two oil refineries. A subsidiary bank International Bank Azerbaijan-Georgia has been established. A branch of the Caucasian Development Bank also operates. Azerbaijani company "EMBAWOOD" established here the production of furniture.
During January-May 2010 the trade turnover between the countries amounted to 175.4 million, reducing by 20.7 percent compared to the same period of last year. Import operations decreased by 18.4 percent, and export - by 20.9 percent.
The countries have the potential to expand the range of goods, promote cooperative ties in the sphere of small and medium entrepreneurship, attract investors to implement mutually beneficial projects and strengthen direct ties between economic entities. In this regard, possibilities of expanding trade between the countries will be discussed.
A Georgian delegation plans to return to Tbilisi the same day.