SERZH SARGSYAN PAYS TWO-DAY PRIVATE VISIT TO GEORGIA ON FEBRUARY 27-28

Noyan Tapan
March 1, 2010

BATUM, MARCH 1, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Serzh Sargsyan paid a two-day
private visit to the Republic of Georgia at Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili’s invitation on February 27-28.

On the first day of the visit S. Sargsyan met with his counterpart
Mikheil Saakashvili in Batum. The two Presidents discussed issues
related to expansion of Armenian-Georgian friendly relations and and
economic partnership. The work done to open the Verin Lars check-point
was touched upon.

M. Saakashvili answering journalists’ questions mentioned that his
country is always happy with Armenia’s progress and feels pain for
its problems as Armenia does. "I think that such cloudless relations,
such intimate cooperation is not only our merit, though our role
is also important, first of all it is the merit of our peoples,"
he emphasized and added: "Many people visit this town in summer,
people are happy to host them. Many ethnic Armenians also live here,
there is an Armenian church. All ethnic groups live in solidarity,
and we are very proud of it and consider it our achievement."

S. Sargsyan mentioned that he has much heard about Batum and seeing
it has great impressions. He once more confirmed Armenian-Georgian
excellent relations and expressed confidence that it will always
be that way. "We have lived as brothers for thousand years and will
continue living so."

Then S. Sargsyan accompanied by the Georgian President walked about
Batum, got acquainted with the work being done in the town and
investment programs aimed at town’s development.

On the second day of the visit S. Sargsyan took part in the Sunday
liturgy served in the Saint Saviour Armenian church of Batum, lit
candles, then laid flowers to the memorial cross-stone in the church
yard. In the church yard he also spoke with representatives of Ajaria’s
Armenian community.

At the end of the visit the heads of the two states summed up the
visit.

M. Saakashvili expressed satisfaction with the informal meeting with
the Armenian President in Batum and mentioned: "We have agreed to
integrate our economies, to meet more often, to make more efforts
to bring our peoples closer though those relations are very close
as it is. Such meetings will be more intensive in the future for
the sake of everything we do for our peoples. We are small countries
and need one another. We depend on one another and should make that
interdependence serve for doing good deeds."

S. Sargsyan, in his turn, expressing satisfaction with the discussions
held with his Georgian counterpart mentioned: "We should work closely,
very seriously think of integration processes. I am convinced that
this year will become turning for our relations though these relations
have always been good. However we are not used to stand still but to
move forward."

S. Sargsyan finishing his two-day private visit to Georgia returned
to Yerevan in the February 28 midday.