Analyst: Azerbaijan is key driver of economic cooperation in region

Azerbaijan is one of the key drivers of economic cooperation in the region, Levan Nikoleishvili, regional secretary of the United Neutral Georgia party and political analyst, told Report's Georgian bureau.

According to him, Azerbaijan's growing engagement within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and progress on the peace agenda with Armenia could create new opportunities for economic cooperation in the South Caucasus.

"Any cooperation that is economic in nature and serves the development of countries is of great importance to Georgia. When it comes to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other international organizations, Georgia's position is that our country should not be confined to any limited framework. This gives us the opportunity to cooperate with various countries and organizations," the analyst said.

Nikoleishvili particularly emphasized the importance of cooperation with Azerbaijan. He noted that transport and economic links running through Azerbaijan, including the development of the Middle Corridor, create significant opportunities for Georgia and the South Caucasus as a whole.

"For us, Azerbaijan is not only a strategic partner, friend and good neighbor, but also one of the most reliable countries. If Azerbaijan is actively involved in economic relations and this contributes to further deepening economic cooperation with Georgia, we should welcome it," he said.

The analyst also touched upon the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In his view, the meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit was another important step toward improving relations between the two countries.

"Peace currently prevails between these countries, and we very much hope that this peace will continue in the future. An even more important issue is bringing economic cooperation and development between Azerbaijan and Armenia to a higher level," Nikoleishvili stressed.

He believes that improving relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia serves not only the interests of the two countries, but also those of Georgia and the South Caucasus as a whole.