GEORGIA INVITES ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN TO HELP RESOLVE PROBLEMS OF SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI REGION

/ARKA/
May 31, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 31. / ARKA /. Georgian ambassador to Armenia has
urged today Armenian businessmen to help resolve the problems of the
predominantly ethnic Armenian population of southern Georgian province
of Samtskhe-Javakheti.

Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan Tengiz Sharmanashvili said a
month ago Georgian capital Tbilisi had hosted a business forum devoted
to discussing ways to develop the region. According to him, over 40
business people from Armenia expressed wish to take part the program.

He said the program’s focus is on developing local tourism industry
through construction of winter resorts.

‘We hope that very soon a large construction will kick off in
Javakheti and Armenian business people and investors will join us,’
the ambassador said.

He said the government in Tbilisi is determined to resolve the problems
of the Armenian population, the biggest of which is lack of jobs. As
an example of successful cooperation he cited construction of a
brewery in the region’s capital Akhalkalaki by Armenian businessmen
from Armenia proper and the United States which has created 400 jobs.

According to the ambassador, the overall situation in the majority of
Georgian provinces, especially in mountainous regions is not better
than in Javakheti. About 95% of the population in Samtskhe-Javakheti
province, bordering Armenia and Turkey are ethnic Armenians.