8TH SITTING OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION ON ECONOMIC COOPERATION HELD IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Jan 26, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The 8th sitting of the
Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation
was held in Yerevan on January 26. The participants discussed the
implementation of the decisions made at the previous sitting held
in Tbilisi on 9 December 2008, the current state and the development
prospects of the legal and contractual field between the sides, the
state and prospects of developing trade and economic cooperation,
as well as issues related to bilateral cooperation in transport,
agriculture, energy, healthcare, social security, education, culture,
environmental protection, and tourism. The demarcation process of
the state border between Armenia and Georgia was also discussed.

The heads of the governments of two countries signed a protocol adopted
based on the results of the Intergovernmental Commission’s sitting.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said at a briefing following
the sitting that the 8th sitting of the commission will stimulate
cooperation of the two countries. In his words, they had agreed on
all the issues put on the agenda of the commission.

"The agenda includes a lot of issues from economic, social and cultural
spheres. We have instructed the representatives of the working
groups to include all the agreements reached in today’s protocol,"
T. Sargsyan said.

Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri considered the sitting quite
interesting because numerous issues related to almost all the spheres
were examined. "This visit will strengthen the traditional relations
of our countries," he stated.

He announced that an agreement on construction of a 400 kilovolt
power transmission line between Georgia and Armenia was reached at the
sitting. T. Sargsyan said the power line’s construction is included
in the 2010 programs of the Armenian government.

Speaking about the possible opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, N.

Gilauri noted that they welcome the resolution of any conflict in the
region. "We welcome the Armenia-Turkey normalization process. It is
of importance to the regional countries," he declared. He also spoke
about the process of opening the Upper Lars check point, saying this
would be to Armenia’s benefit as well, and Russia should remove all
kinds of restrictions.

It was decided to hold the next – 9th sitting of the Intergovernmental
Commission in Georgia.