The Messenger
Friday, March 14, 2005, #045 (0819)
Armenia, Georgia praise expanding trade, energy
In Armenia, Georgian PM discusses trade links, energy and Russian bases in
Georgia
By Christina Tashkevich
Zurab Noghaideli
The development of economic relations between Armenia and Georgia topped the
agenda during Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli’s two-day visit to Yerevan on
March 10-12.
Noghaideli and Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met on March 11 to talk
about cooperation in the energy sector and the expansion of trade links.
News agency Ria Novosti reports that Kocharyan expressed his satisfaction at
the meeting with Noghaideli that the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental
commission on economic relations will continue its activities headed by the
prime ministers of the two countries.
“Armenian-Georgian relations have always included a wide spectrum of issues
of mutual interests,” he said. The commission will meet next in Yerevan.
The sides positively assessed the increase in trade turnover between the
countries last year, which according to Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan rose by 51.1 percent.
The National Department of Statistics of Armenia reports that trade turnover
between Armenia and Georgia equaled USD 78 million in 2004 compared to USD
51 million in 2003.
The two countries hope to further increase trade, however, and Noghaideli
made a report to his Armenian colleagues about the completion of the
construction of the road between Sadakhlo on the Georgia-Armenia border and
Marneuli. The sides also discussed the construction of a new border
checkpoint in Sadakhlo.
The prime minister was upbeat about energy cooperation between the two
countries, telling journalists that for the first time in recent years the
Armenian energy ministry of energy had not made claims against the Georgian
side.
“For the first time we discussed not past problems but issues of future
cooperation between Georgia and Armenia,” he enthused.
One issue of discussion during the prime minister’s visit to Armenia was the
construction of a gas pipeline linking Iran with Europe via Armenia, Georgia
and Ukraine.
Construction of the Iranian-Armenian segment of the pipeline has already
started, while the two countries are currently in negotiations with Ukraine
and Georgia. One issue likely to hold up the project is the exorbitant cost:
the prime minister of Armenia said the total cost of the pipeline was
estimated at USD 180 billion.
Noghaideli and Kocharyan also discussed the existing conflicts in the region
and their resolution, and the Georgian PM told journalists in Yerevan that
he was confident an agreement would be reached between Moscow and Tbilisi in
regard to the withdrawal of Russian bases on Georgian soil.
“In the nearest future we will agree with the Russian side on the withdrawal
of Russian military bases,” he said in Yerevan airport before returning to
Tbilisi.
News agency Regnum reports Noghaideli as saying he did not discuss this
matter with the Armenian side, although Armenian Prime Minister Margaryan
noted that the issue was important to Yerevan because of the predominantly
Armenian population living close to the base in Akhalkalaki.
“The only thing which is important for us is the provision of jobs and
resolution of social problems facing the Armenians living in Javakheti,” he
said, adding however that Armenia does not plan to interfere in Georgia’s
internal affairs regarding the issue of Russian military bases in Georgia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress