ARMENIAN PUNDITS SEE PROBLEMS IN TIES WITH GEORGIA

Mediamax
Feb 24 2009
Armenia

After the August war and the escalation of the situation in Javakhk
[Javakheti] there is a need for Yerevan and Tbilisi "to synchronize
their watches," political scientist Sergey Minasyan, deputy director
of the Caucasus Media Institute, said in Yerevan today.

Speaking at a discussion on Armenian-Georgian relations, Minasyan said
that differences between Armenia and Georgia sometimes are significant
and that "it is not always that the interests of the two countries
coincide". He added that the fact of a large Armenian community in
Georgia adds some complication to those relations.

An expert of the Noravank Foundation, Tamara Vardanyan, said that
"there is a political problem in Javakhk but the Georgian authorities
lack the readiness to resolve it. She said that due to geopolitical
factors Armenia is trying not to escalate the relations with Tbilisi
but cannot stay completely out of the problems of Georgian Armenians.

"The national policies conducted by the Georgian authorities contains
an anti-Armenian element," Vardanyan said. She added that "Tbilisi
sees Armenia as a competitor in the regional politics, and it has
been reflected in the situation in Javakhk."