The Georgian prime minister, Irakli Garibashvili, was in Yerevan on Wednesday (12 May) for talks with his Armenian counterpart and other officials. It is a tradition that a new Georgian leader, on taking office, visits the two neighbouring countries – Armenia and Azerbaijan – soon after. Garibashvili was in Baku a week before. (read more)
The visit provided an opportunity for the two leaders to re-state the historical ties between Armenia and Georgia and their commitment to working together to develop bilateral relations in many fields. However, on this occasion there was also considerable emphasis put on regional co-operation.
Welcoming Garibashvili to Yerevan, the Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, spoke of the vital role of Georgia in the South Caucasus and said that he had discussed with his Georgian counterpart "more efficient use of regional transport and communications [infrastructure]", adding the two sides had stressed the importance of "development of transit potential".
On his part, Garibashvili noted that all this can be achieved only in conditions of peace and regional stability. "On the one hand, the coronavirus, on the other hand, the war in Karabakh, of course, has caused significant difficulties for the whole region ... I think there is no alternative to peace talks and dialogue," he said.
Garibashvili assured Pashinyan that Georgia has always been in favour of peaceful co-operation in the South Caucasus, and that course will continue in the future.
"We are ready to promote regional dialogue, develop the economy, trade and other humanitarian issues. "It is for the sake of stability, peace and the strengthening of democratic values that the Georgian people have chosen the European-Euro-Atlantic path," said the Georgian Prime Minister.
He informed that during the meeting with Nikol Pashinyan all the directions of co-operation were discussed. The parties stressed that they should have an intensive political dialogue, develop trade and economic relations, discuss new projects, co-operate in areas such as transport, economy, innovation, culture. "And despite the already intensive relations, we still have the opportunity for further development," he said.
