The Messenger, Georgia
March 14 2005
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.