RA FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH GEORGIAN PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER IN TBILISI

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006

TBILISI, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 27, RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian, who is in Tbilisi on a working meeting,
was received by Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili.

In their greeting speeches the Foreign Ministers of the two countries
held the same opinion that Armenian-Georgian relations based on close
historic contacts and strong friendship will continue to develop in
the spirit of friendship and mutually beneficial partnership.

Then an interested and practical conversation on bilateral and regional
issues of mutual interest went on between the two Ministers. The
sides estimated the agenda of Armenian-Georgian relations as large,
the evidence of which is the high-level eventful mutual visits and
constant contacts between the governments on various issues.

As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, the sides especially emphasized combination of
their efforts in the sphere of economy and business in the direction
of deepening of contacts and encouragement of mutual investments. The
Ministers mentioned that deepening of Armenian-Georgian trade and
economic contacts can contribute to development of economically
efficient transport communication. In this connection they discussed
the possibilities of full exploitation of the regional transport
routes. They also touched upon issues relating to energy security, as
well as socio-economic programs in border villages with the assistance
of international structures and individual countries.

RA Foreign Minister mentioned that a number of economic issues have
some political implication and require a special attention. Minister
Oskanian, in particular, emphasized that the relaunching of the
Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi railway will contribute to the growth of volumes
of bilateral commodity cirulation, as well as will enable all South
Caucasian countries to equally use the regional transit potential.

In his turn, the Georgian Foreign Minister said that Georgia precisely
realizes its role of a bridge and its responsibility in the region
and will continue to try to create conditions of a more beneficial
transit for Armenia.

Georgia is interested in diversification of transport routes, which
at large, in the prospect will contribute to development of all
regional countries.

Touching upon the problems of Javakhk, the sides held the same
opinion that efficient implementation of programs by the Georgian
government in the economic, cultural and educational spheres will
greatly contribute to mitigation of socio-economic problems in the
region. Minister Oskanian repeated RA government’s proposal to as far
as possible assist the Georgian authorities in the issue of solving
the problems existing in Javakhk.

Speaking about the process of demarkation and delimitation of the
Armenian-Georgian state border, the sides, taking into consideration
the political will, expressed confidence that the process will have
a mutually acceptable end in as short terms as possible.

Then the Ministers touched upon the developments in the direction of
Europe, in particular, upon the Actions Plan within the framework of
the EU Neighborhood Policy and issues of deepening of cooperation with
NATO mentioning the importance to combine the efforts of the two sides.

In the respect of the prospect of regional development the Ministers
touched upon the settlement of conflicts. The Ministers informed
each other about the current negotiations and settlement prospects
around Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, about the
peculiarities of discussions dedicated to them at different
international organizations.

V.Oskanian’s and G.Bezhuashvili’s joint press conference was held
after the meeting.

The same day in the evening the Armenian Foreign Minister was received
by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

The Foreign Ministers’ contacts during the visit continue.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress