By News Centre
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili with an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
The ceremony began with mounted guards escorting President Kavelashvili’s car to the protocol entrance of the complex. Erdoğan greeted his Georgian counterpart at the main entrance, after which the two leaders proceeded to the ceremonial square. The national anthems of Türkiye and Georgia were played by the military band, accompanied by a 21-gun salute. Flags and soldiers representing the 16 historical Turkish states were also on display.
President Kavelashvili reviewed the Guard of Honor, greeting them with “Hello soldiers,” before he and Erdoğan introduced their delegations to one another. The two leaders then posed for the press in front of the Turkish and Georgian flags on the steps of the complex, ahead of their private meeting and joint press conference. Later in the evening, Erdoğan will host an official dinner in honor of the Georgian president.
Among those attending the ceremony were Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, AK Party Artvin Deputy Faruk Çelik, Presidential Secretary-General Hakkı Susmaz, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, Presidential Chief Advisor for Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç, and Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin.
At the joint press conference following their bilateral talks, President Erdoğan emphasized the strength of Turkish-Georgian relations:
“We will continue to advance our trade and investment relations. Türkiye has been Georgia’s largest trading partner for 17 years, which shows that our ties rest on solid foundations. Our trade target of five billion dollars is progressing steadily. Turkish direct investments in Georgia are approaching 2.5 million. We also evaluated joint projects. The full-capacity operation of the Baku–Kars railway line is of great importance to us all. More than 2,000 Turkish companies operate in Georgia. Through trilateral mechanisms, we contribute to regional peace and cooperation. “Türkiye and Georgia are strategic partners. We discussed the security of the Black Sea, the war in Ukraine, and the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza. I firmly believe that the partnership between Türkiye and Georgia will continue to strengthen with the will of our peoples.”
