DIPLOMATIC SCANDAL ON THE EVE OF MIKAIL SAAKASHVILI’S VISIT TO ARMENIA
Lena Badeyan

"Radiolur"
22.06.2009 15:52

The visit of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to Armenia
scheduled for June 24-25 has been shadowed by a diplomatic scandal. On
the eve of the visit the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent
a note of protest to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia,
demanding to explain why Georgian border guards did not allow
Republican MP Shirak Torosyan to enter Georgia.

The response of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not
sufficient.

"Mikhail Saaakshvili should officially apologize to Shirak Torosyan
and thousands of Javakhk Armenians, who are humiliated every time they
cross the Armenian-Georgian border,’ says the statement released by
"Mitk" analytical center.

The Armenian delegation, comprising President of the "Hzor Hayrenik"
Party Vardan Vardapetyan, ex-Adviser to RA Prime Minister on CIS
Issues Stepan Margaryan, ex-Deputy Vahe Hovhannisyan and member of the
Republican faction Shirak Torosyan, was leaving for Georgia on June
19 at the initiative of the "Fridrich Nauman Fund" to discuss the
issues of Javakhk and the Armenian-Georgian relations with Georgian
officials, public figures and journalists.

MP Shirak Torosyan said in an interview with "Radiolur" that other
members of the Armenian delegation had no problems crossing the
border. 0D He was the only person prohibited from entering Georgia,
although there is no visa regime between Armenia and Georgia. Even
the diplomatic passport was no use. In an hour the border guards told
Shirak Torosyan that the authorities had instructed not to allow the
Deputy to enter the country. No other explanation followed. As a sign
of protest, the other members of the Armenian delegation returned to
Armenia the same night.

"I think that this is a serious problem in the Armenian-Georgian
relations. Why shouldn’t an invited Armenian Deputy be allowed to
enter Georgia? This is simply impermissible and comprises a serious
problem. I don’t view this as a personal office, this is an immediate
offence to the Republic of Armenia. I think that the issue will be
discussed during the Armenian-Georgian talks," Shirak Torosyan said.