NINO BURJANADZE: WIDENING OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS RESULTS FROM
REGIONAL INTERESTS

Azg/am
26 Oct 04

During his three-day visit to the Georgian capital Pres. Robert
Kocharian met with the PM Zurab Zhvania and chairwoman of the
parliament Nino Burjanadze, strolled through Old Tbilisi, took part
in celebrations of the day of Tbilisi, Tbilisoba, lay a wreath at
the monument of fighters for Georgiaâ~@~Ys unity.

Bilateral economic issues were discussed with prime minister
Zurab Zhvania during which the sides welcomed the creation of
Armenia-Georgian Business Association.

Chairwoman of Georgian parliament Nino Burjanadze said that
Armenian-Georgian relations are important not only for the two states
but also for the whole region.

Burjanadze noted that the unsettled conflicts in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia as well as hitches in Georgian-Russian relations are the
painful issues in Georgia.

The issue of Armenian-Georgian borderâ~@~Ys delimitation and
demarcation was also discussed at the meeting. Pres. Kocharian
repeated what he said at the press conference with Pres. Saakashvili
that Armenia is ready to begin works, “there will be no obstacles
from the Armenian side” and expressed hope that Armenian-Georgian
border will be demarked and delimited by the first half of 2005.

The Georgia-Turkish border has already undergone specification and the
demarcation and delimitation of borders with Russia and Azerbaijan
are in process now. Robert Kocharian reminded Nino Burjanadze that
the place of the Georgian representative at the Armenian-Georgian
Commission on Border Specification is vacant. Earlier that day
Pres. Saakashvili noted half in jest that neither Armenia nor Georgia
had land pretences in the last 2000 years.

P.S. Kocharian and Saakashvili visited ex-president Eduard Shevardnadze
on October 23 and offered condolences because of his wifeâ~@~Ys
death. The same day the security found a sniperâ~@~Ys rifle and AK-74
submachine gun at the Music Hall Ajara in Tbilisi where presidents were
heading to listen to jazz. It was found at the Hall directorâ~@~Ys
neighboring room. The Ministry of National Security of Georgia
refrains stating that the weapons were designed for an attempt on
Kocharianâ~@~Ys or Saakashviliâ~@~Ys life. Despite everything,
presidents visited the Music Hall.

A bomb was found at the monument of fighters for Georgiaâ~@~Ys unity
few days before Pres. Kocharianâ~@~Ys visit. He laid a wreath at
the monument on October 23.

By Tatoul Hakobian and Aghavni Harutyunian from Tbilisi

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