Georgian president was not informed about Azerbaijani colleague's visit - Tbilisi

TBILISI. Oct 24 (Interfax) - The Georgian presidential administration expresses regrets about the fact that Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili was not informed that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited Tbilisi on Monday.

"Due to the importance of the matter, the Georgian presidential administration believes it is reasonable to communicate to the public that the president was not informed about the working visit by the president of our neighboring and friendly country Ilham Aliyev to Georgia," the Georgian presidential administration said in a statement.

"Despite the wish and readiness of the president of Georgia, the meeting, which is traditionally held during all visits by heads of state, did not take place between the presidents," the statement said.

Zourabichvili hailed Aliyev's visit to Tbilisi and again expressed readiness to host the president of Azerbaijan on an official visit in the future, the statement said.

The Georgian prime minister's press service said on Monday Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili had met with Aliyev.

According to the press service's information, the meeting participants noted a high level of strategic partnership between the two countries and emphasized their intensive trade-economic cooperation.

"Irakli Garibashvili said peace and stability in the region ensure economic development, It was said that Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan are working together closely on foreign policy and are working as a united front to overcome current challenges. Readiness to further strengthen bilateral political, economic, cultural and other types of communications between the two countries was expressed. The meeting addressed the security situation in the region and the world," the report said.