CAUCASIAN REGION’S STABILITY AND SECURITY ALSO CONDITIONED BY ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan

F eb 25, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation led by Georgian
parliament Speaker David Bakradze that arrived in Yerevan on February
24 on a two-day official visit met with RA National Assembly Speaker
Hovik Abrahamian the same day.

H. Abrahamian highly assessing the current level of Armenian-Georgian
friendly relations gave assurance that Georgian parliament Speaker’s
official visit to Armenia will contribute to further development and
strengthening of the two countries’ interparliamentary relations. D.

Bakradze, in his turn, expressed confidence that his first official
visit to Armenia will be an important step in the issue of partnership
development between the two friendly countries’ parliaments.

Touching upon the regional problems, H. Abrahamian said that Armenia
keeps a neutral position in the issue of settlement of Abkhazian and
South Ossetian conflicts expecting the same balanced approach in the
issue of NKR from the Georgian side. He emphasized the necessity to
implement programs aimed at strengthening transport infrastructures in
the region in this context attaching importance to the construction of
the Yerevan-Gyumri-Ninotsminda-Akhaltskha-Batumi motorway being part
of the North-South transport corridor. Touching upon the problem of
churches belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church working for many
centuries in Georgia, H. Abrahamian expressed the hope that issues
regarding return of churches will be also settled after solving the
issue of legal status of Armenian Apostolic Church Georgian Armenian
diocese.

D. Bakradze also attached importance to development of
interparliamentary cooperation in all directions, activation of
economic contacts, development of transport infrastructures. He said
that the number of Armenian tourists visiting Georgia increased
50-fold within five years. D. Bakradze highly assessed Armenian
side’s position in the issues of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In his
affirmation, Caucasian region’s development, stability, and security
is also conditioned by the Armenian-Georgian relations. Touching
upon the problem of Armenian churches, D. Bakradze assured that the
Georgian authorities will do their best within their jurisdiction to
settle the problem.