Armenia wants to fund projects in Georgian border region

Mze TV, Tbilisi
25 Jul 05

[Presenter] The Armenian government is paying close attention to
Samtskhe-Javakheti [region in southern Georgia with a large ethnic
Armenian population]. The subject was discussed at length today
during the visiting Armenian prime minister’s meeting with Georgian
parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze.

Andranik Markaryan said Armenia would be willing to fund social and
economic projects in Samtskhe-Javakheti, such as ones involving the
renovation of schools, provision of textbooks and school equipment,
and the opening of health care centres.

[Markaryan, speaking to journalists, in Russian] Everything should be
agreed with the Georgian government. It will be part of our joint
programme for Javakheti’s economic development. [Passage omitted:
Markaryan says both Armenia and Georgia are interested in the region’s
development]

[Question] How much could Armenia allocate for this?

[Markaryan] This year we have sent 350,000 dollars to Javakheti from
our state budget. If your side agrees, we are ready to increase the
amount in the future.

[Presenter] At the meeting, Markaryan also raised the question of
ownership of several churches in Javakheti and Tbilisi which are the
subject of a dispute between the Armenian and Georgian churches.

[Burjanadze, speaking to journalists, recording starts mid-sentence] –
no demand, it was just a request that our government, the Armenian
government and our churches jointly decide, once and for all, on the
ownership of this or that church, so that we do not have
misunderstandings like the one which occurred in Samtskhe-Javakheti
several weeks ago [when local residents stopped visiting students from
Tbilisi carrying out restoration work at a church]. [Passage omitted:
Burjanadze says she is pleased with Markaryan’s “perfect”
understanding of issues discussed at their meeting]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress