Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday claimed President Salome Zourabichvili’s statement on the involvement of a Chinese company in the implementation of the Anaklia port project in the country’s north-west was a “very serious provocation” and “speculation”.
Kobakhidze's comments followed Zourabichvili on Monday saying the involvement of a Chinese company selected by the Government for the project “to such an extent means stabbing our relations with our American and European partners”.
The China Communications Construction Company Limited will be the Government’s private partner for the port project.
In his response, the PM said “[e]veryone knows very well how important it is to deepen the partnership with China”, and noted the strategic partnership agreement signed with the country last year, adding “both the political and economic aspects of this cooperation are important to us”.
"We have a strategic location. Our country has historically connected Europe and Asia, the West and the East. To restore the function of our strategic connection as much as possible, it is fundamentally important to develop our trade and economic relations with China, and naturally, the implementation of the Anaklia project together with Chinese partners will make this task qualitatively easier for us”, he added.
The PM stated strengthening trade and economic ties with China was “important for the Government”, and noted implementation of the project with the company would “facilitate to this task”.
