Georgia does not expect any threats from Turkey, Chairman of the Georgian Republican Party David Zurabishvili told journalists answering to the question whether Tbilisi's close military cooperation with Ankara and Baku poses threat of Turkish expansionism in Georgia.
"We do not expect any threat from our leading partner Turkey. Ankara has always supported Tbilisi's aspirations including in the issue of integration into NATO. As for Azerbaijan I can assure that Georgia has always conducted cautious and balanced policy in order not to harm established friendly relations with Armenia related to Karabakh problem", the Georgian politician stated. He noted that Georgia has followed this policy since the day of its independence and will continue it. Zurabishvili did not agree with the statement that there is a Turkey-Azerbaijan-Georgia tandem.
To recall, a three-sided meeting of the Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia's defense ministers was held on May 15, during which the necessity of close cooperation was emphasized. In this light the sides agreed to conduct military drills. Georgia expressed readiness to conduct joint drills in April 2017 including in the framework of cooperation with NATO. For the first time the sides held a meeting in this format for discussing military cooperation in 2007, when the first meeting attended by presidents of Azerbaijan and Georgia and Prime Minister of Turkey was held in Tbilisi. Later foreign and defense ministers of the three countries met in 2012 and 2013 and the meeting in Gabala was the fourth one.
To note, the press tour for the journalists to Georgia was organized by Go Group Media and JAMnews media platform.