Civilnet
By Alexander Pracht
In a rare diplomatic move, the deputy foreign ministers of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan met in Tbilisi on Thursday to outline their visions for potential areas of regional cooperation, according to a joint statement released by the three countries’ foreign ministries.
“The meeting aimed to advance trilateral cooperation in areas of common interest, contributing to sustainable development and prosperity in the region,” the joint press release said, stressing that such cooperation could help address shared challenges and foster long-term stability in the South Caucasus.
This marked the first-ever trilateral meeting at the deputy foreign minister level between the three South Caucasus countries. Georgia’s Lasha Darsalia, Armenia’s Vahan Kostanyan, and Azerbaijan’s Elnur Mammadov welcomed the initiative, highlighting the untapped potential for collaboration based on mutual respect for each country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The ministries noted that the constructive atmosphere of the talks laid a foundation for building trust and continuing dialogue at a higher level.
The initiative for this meeting emerged following a ministerial consultation between the three countries' foreign ministers, namely Ararat Mirzoyan of Armenia, Maka Bochorishvili of Georgia, and Jeyhun Bayramov of Azerbaijan, held in the Turkish city of Antalya over the weekend. Georgian officials said it was during those talks that the idea of a trilateral format at the deputy level was first proposed.
The Tbilisi meeting stands in contrast to the Russian- and Turkish-backed 3+3 regional platform, which on paper includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia alongside Iran, Russia, and Turkey. Georgia, however, has declined to participate in the 3+3 format due to not having formal diplomatic relations with Russia since the 2008 war.
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