ARMENIA, GEORGIA TIED BY CENTURIES-OLD FRIENDSHIP
Alisa Gevorgyan

"Radiolur"
25.06.2009 11:10

"Short ago we have concluded negotiations with the President of
Georgia and his delegation. We’ve discussed a wide range of bilateral
relations, exchanged views on pressing regional and international
issues. The two sides underlined that our relations are on a high
level," Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at a joint press
conference with his Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili.

"Few peoples in the world can take pride in deep, lasting, and friendly
relations such as those between the Armenian and Georgian people. It
would be redundant to speak about the importance of our countries
for each other for security, policy, economy, culture or any other
matter. And I am confident, that one of the main concerns of the
Presidents and the governments of our two states should be elevating
the level of interstate relations to that of the centuries-long
relations of our peoples. I should say that during our meeting with
President Sahakashvili I got the impression, or I would rather say,
I am confident that he shares this approach for which I am truly glad,"
President Sargsyan said.

According to Serzh Sargsyan, special attention was paid to regional
security issues. "The Armenian side has said it before on many
occasions and continues to believe that all exciting problems should=2
0be solved exclusively through a dialogue, through shared confidence,
mutual respect and cooperation in the region. We welcome any step
toward the creation of the favorable atmosphere in the region. In
the context of bilateral relations, we have paid special attention
to the deepening of economic cooperation and implementation of joint
projects. We hope that it will assist in mitigating the consequences
of the global financial and economic crisis for Armenia and Georgia,"
President Sargsyan noted.

Armenia attaches great importance to the transportation routes via
Georgia which are of significant importance for our economy. With
this regard President Sargsyan expressed Armenia’s interest in the
expeditious reopening of the checkpoint on the Georgian-Russian border.

With regard to the issue Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said:
"We are ready to negotiate the issue with Switzerland, which acts as
mediator between Georgia and Russia. Several kilometers of the highway
are damaged, and we have started the reconstruction works. If we see
that Russia is ready to open its part of the road, we will also open
our part."

During the tête-a-tête meeting President Sargsyan informed his
Georgian counterpart about the current stage of the Karabakh
peace process, as well as the prospects for normalization of
the Armenian-Turkish relations and Armenia’s approaches on that
issue. "Our approach is clea r-cut: the relations must be normalized
without preconditions. Despite the existing problems the countries
of the region should find common ground for cooperation."

According to Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia is interested in having Georgia as
a peaceful, stable and prosperous neighbor with which we not only have
a common past but also a common future and this visit is an important
step toward strengthening and deepening traditionally friendly
relations and cooperation between our two peoples and two states.