Development of mutually beneficial relations with the Republic of Georgia in all the important fields is one of the priorities of the foreign policy of Azerbaijan. The intensive reciprocal visits of the heads of the states and governments have great significance in the improvement and development of the legal base of the interstate relations.

Among these visits it is necessary to emphasize the official visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev to Georgia on 22-23 March, 2000

In the interview to the journalists while talking about the aim of the visit the Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev stated: “This is an official visit. We shall make discussions and sign documents. The main document is the political document or political statement, in other words, this is the joint statement of the Azerbaijani and Georgian Presidents. Therein our similar opinions on the issues of our relations, the current situation in our states, in the Caucasus, and the processes in the world community will be reflected. There are also other different documents which shall cover the economic issues.”

On March 22 there was a tete-a-tete meeting of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and the Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze in “Krasanisi” Presidential Residence in Tbilisi. In the meeting the presidents exchanged views on the issues of security in the Caucasus, in general, and in the Southern Caucasus particularly, and they mentioned the importance of deepening and strengthening the historical and traditional friendly relations in the years of independence. After the meeting the negotiations were held between delegations of Azerbaijan and Georgia.

On the same day there was a joint statement of the presidents after the signature ceremony and then a press conference was held. The parties declared that they would improve the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia in all the fields. While highly appreciating the results of the visit and mentioning the productive character of the negotiations, they declared that they would do their best for the continuation of the cooperation.

On March 22 another meeting was held in Tbilisi State Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Z. Paliashvili between the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and the representatives of the Georgian public. Taking into consideration the gifts given to the establishment of friendship between the Azerbaijani and Georgian peoples and its durability through decades, and taking into consideration the works done in turning the relations into strategically partnership in the recent years, Eduard Shevardnadze was awarded with the order  “Istiglal” Order, highest prize of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the decree of the President Heydar Aliyev.

On the same day President of the Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev attended to the official reception organized on the behalf of the Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze.  On March 23 the Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev made a statement in the meeting with the MPs of Georgia: “After gaining independence the activities of the Georgian and Azerbaijani parliaments have great role in the rapid development of the Georgian-Azerbaijani relations. The relations between the two parliaments completely reflect the friendly and brotherly relations between our peoples and the presidents.”

On the same day the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan gave an interview to the National Television of Georgia. In the interview the President expressed his satisfaction with the Georgian- Azerbaijani relations and hoped that the relations would extend in the future in all the fields.