AJARIA ALREADY RECEIVES 35 THOUSAND ARMENIAN TOURISTS THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 05 2006

BATUMI, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Hrach Silvanian,
the Ambassador of Armenia to Georgia, who visited Ajaria to participate
in the solemn event to take place on the occasion of a stop of the
"Cilicia" sailing vessel in the port of the city of Batumi, had a
meeting with Levan Varshalomidze, the Prime Minister of Ajaria.

The Prime Minister stated that this year the Autonomous Republic of
Ajaria received 35 thousand Armenian tourists and it is expected
that their number will surpass 45 thousand in late September. It
was mentioned that in conditions of such a number of Armenians’
visits, the issue of establishing a consular institution becomes a
necessity. The RA Ambassador stated that this problem is discussed
at the RA Foreign Ministry and will get a positive solution in future.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, the Ajarian Prime Minister attached importance
to Armenian partners’ involvement in the inner market of Ajaria,
taking into account Armenian businessmen’s rich experience in the
sphere of procession and production of agricultural products. The
sides agreed that it’s necessary to assist widening and development
of bilateral cooperation, working out new ways of mutually beneficial
contacts. Levan Varshalomidze mentioned on this occasion that an
active cooperation is already being implemented between Armenia and
Ajaria in the sphere of tourism.

The Prime Minister touched upon the issues of fencing the Batumi
Armenian church and restoring the territories near the church which
were discussed during the Ambassador’s previous conversation. Levan
Varshalomidze mentioned that the Batumi Mayor will get a corresponding
instruction to solve the mentioned problems. He also fixed that
problems of the Armenian community will always be in the center
of attention.