Interfax, Russia
Sept 4 2009

Armenian, Georgian foreign ministers meet in Yerevan

YEREVAN Sept 4

Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan is holding a meeting with
his Georgian counterpart Grigol Vashadze in Yerevan, Nalbandyan’s
press secretary Tigran Balayan told Interfax.

The Georgian minister is paying a two-day working visit to the
Armenian capital, and he does not plan to meet with journalists,
Balayan said.

A number of problems have emerged between the two countries in recent
years, Armenian political scientists said.

Last week, Georgian border guards moved several dozen meters inside
Armenian territory in the direction of Armenia’s northern Shirak
region, which paralyzed agricultural work in this area.

"The commission in charge of the delimitation of the Armenian-
Georgian border continues its work," Balayan said earlier.

At a meeting with heads of Armenia’s diplomatic missions abroad last
week, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that it would be
desirable to grant regional language status to the Armenian language
in Georgia’s Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti village, which is predominantly
populated by ethnic Armenians. Sargsyan also proposed registering the
Armenian Apostolic Church’s diocese in this village.

According to some experts, the Armenian president’s remarks have
provoked a sharp reaction from Georgia’s political and public circles.

Analysts do not rule out that the latest events could create a tense
atmosphere during the ongoing ministerial talks.