The international conference titled “Armenia-Georgia Strategic Partnership: Towards New Horizons of Cooperation,” organized by the Public Relations and Information Center of the Government of Armenia, for the second consecutive year, was held this week in Dilijan. "It has now become a tradition aimed at deepening the friendship between the two countries, fostering mutual understanding and exchange of experience among both experts and the broader public", said Armenia's Orbelli Centre on its website. 
The second day of the conference was attended by Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of the Prime Minister’s Staff and George Sharvashidze, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Republic of Armenia. Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia also participated in the conference.
Welcoming the participants, Arayik Harutyunyan particularly noted: “It feels as though we have been communicating with each other for millennia, yet we still have a lot to learn and gain knowledge from each other. Our relations have reached a new stage of development and the high level of mutual trust fosters partnership cooperation.”
In his speech, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia emphasized: “In recent years, we have taken concrete steps that have taken us from active cooperation to strategic partnership. We enjoy the highest level of political dialogue, along with strong interparliamentary cooperation and mutual support. Within the framework of a defined strategy, measurable and tangible actions are being implemented, guiding our partnership towards shared leadership.”
Georgian Ambassador to Armenia, George Sharvashidze emphasized the following in his speech: “We strongly support the Crossroads of Peace initiative, which opens up communication, trade and energy routes in the region. Indeed, we must already now achieve lasting peace in the region.”
Gor Tsarukyan, Director of the Public Relations and Information Center, reflecting on the significance of the conference, emphasized that such platforms provide an opportunity for open and honest discussions aimed at building lasting and reliable partnerships. According to him, we need not only to focus on distant actors, but also to improve expert and public relations and mutual understanding with our immediate neighbors.
As part of the conference, panel discussions were held in which experts and specialists in the field discussed the dynamics of Armenian-Georgian relations, opportunities for economic cooperation, regional security and peace issues, as well as prospects for educational and cultural exchange. The importance of strengthening mutual understanding between the media and youth was also highlighted. During the frank discussions, Armenian and Georgian experts also touched upon the recurring issues between the two countries, presenting substantive proposals for possible solutions.
source: commonspace.eu with Orbelli Centre, Yerevan
photo: Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister of Armenia, spoke in the Dilijian Conference (picture courtesy of Orbelli Centre, Yerevan).
