Georgian leader hopes Armenia to help normalize ties with Russia

Mediamax news agency
12 Mar 04

YEREVAN

The presidents of Armenia and Georgia, Robert Kocharyan and Mikheil
Saakashvili, focused on issues of improving Georgian-Russian relations
during their talks in Yerevan today, Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili told a briefing in Yerevan today, Mediamax news agency
reports.

He said that he was decisive to normalize his country’s relations with
Russia, which “had considerably worsened under the previous Georgian
president”, according to Saakashvili.

Saakashvili said that many countries which maintain good relations
with Russia could contribute to the process of normalizing
Georgian-Russian relations. In particular, Saakashvili said that he
discussed this issue with French President Jacques Chirac several days
ago.

“However, we believe that Armenia, which maintains special relations
with Russia, could play a special role in normalizing Georgian-Russian
ties,” Saakashvili said.