Secretive Azerbaijan Deal Raises Energy Security Concerns in Georgia
Philippines Receives First Iranian Crude Cargo Since Hormuz Blockade Eurasianet is an independent news organization that covers news from and about the South Caucasus and Central Asia, providing on-the-ground reporting and critical perspectives on… Recently signed deals between Georgia and Azerbaijan are raising fresh questions about Tbilisi’s strategic direction and energy security.
The deals flowed out of a May 18 meeting in Baku between Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Those talks occurred just weeks after Aliyev’s visit to Tbilisi, where healso metGeorgia’s de facto ruler, Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Despite their political significance, the full texts of the agreements signed while Kobakhidze was in Baku remain undisclosed, fueling criticism that the Georgian government is making decisions without sufficient transparency or regard for the country’s long-term energy independence.
According to official statements, the sides agreed to a 20-year inter-governmental framework governing electricity supply and transit, along with a 20-year extension of a 2003 gas-purchase agreement.
The Georgian governmentemphasizedthat the purchase deal “guarantees the security of social gas supply.” The agreements alsorestored daily passenger rail service between Tbilisi and Baku after a six-year gap.
A separate protocol, cited by the Georgian government, also claimed “the new section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway will become fully operational.” With Azerbaijan and Armenia moving to normalize relations and new transit routes like the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) corridor threatening to bypass Georgia, Tbilisi needed a deal to stay relevant in trade discussions.
Georgian Dream officials hope the agreements signed in Baku will ensure Tbilisi remains a factor in the Caucasus’ trade equation.
Baku appears to have taken full advantage of Georgia’s desperation, securing very favorable energy deals.
Aliyev’s administrationwelcomedthe agreements, stressing their “importance” and highlighting Kobakhidze’s positive tone during the visit.
It noted that the Georgian prime minister had expressed appreciation for Aliyev’s recent trip to Georgia, saying it left “a profound impression.” However, the lack of transparency, combined with shifting energy trends, continues to fuel concerns about Tbilisi’s energy-supply vulnerability and the country’s growing dependency on Russia.
Over the past year, Georgia’s reliance on Azerbaijani gas has declined, while imports from Russia have surged.
| Product | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Brent Crude | $102.14/bbl | +0.34% |
| WTI Crude | $96.90/bbl | +0.21% |
| EN590 Diesel | $846/MT | +0.18% |
| Jet Fuel A-1 | $1090/MT | +0.55% |
| Mazut M100 | $450/MT | -0.15% |
| Bitumen 60/70 | $470/MT | +0.08% |
| Sulphur Gran 99.5% | $470/MT | -0.44% |
| Urea 46% Gran | $650/MT | +1.12% |
| NPK 16-16-16 | $460/MT | -0.28% |
| Nat Gas TTF | $15.42/MMBtu | +0.92% |
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