I welcome you to Armenia. Our high-level meetings were deferred for a while due to the global pandemic. I am glad that we are resuming the top-level contacts. The agenda of our bilateral relations is very wide, ranging from transport communications to energy and road infrastructures. Indeed, the fight against COVID-19 is among the most pressing issues on our agenda.

Armenia and Georgia are traditionally bound by close political intercourse, based on deep-rooted friendship and brotherhood between the two nations. I believe that the regional developments and prospects stand high on our agenda and we should discuss them in order harmonize our positions and strengthen the humanitarian, educational and cultural components.

Our two nations should support each other for the sake of development. Welcoming you once again, I remain confident that we will have fruitful talks today.”

Thankful for the warm welcome, Irakli Garibashvili said:
“Mr. Prime Minister, thank you ever so much for the warm welcome. It is a great honor for me to meet you. You mentioned the global pandemic, which affects every nation and every country. Notwithstanding, I feel greatly honored to visit Yerevan. Our peoples are bound by close ties of friendship in addition to good-neighborly relations. Our interaction and friendship go far back to centuries. Therefore, we are keen to see peace, stability and development in Armenia and in the region, as a whole.

You next referred to our hectic bilateral agenda. We should discuss ways of boosting trade and economic exchanges, promoting our cultural relations and strengthening cooperation in key areas, such as transport and logistics. This will bring us closer to each other from a regional perspective as well. I am greatly honored to be your guest. I am confident that we will have a fruitful meeting. Thank you.”

Nikol Pashinyan’s face-to-face meeting with Irakli Garibashvili was followed by an extended meeting of the two government delegations. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that regional security-related issues had been discussed with the Georgian Premier during their private talks, and in that context, views were exchanged on the situation in Armenia’s Syunik province.

Both sides stressed that Armenia and Georgia are interested in maintaining peace and stability in the region, which is important for the development of cooperation. In this regard, Nikol Pashinyan condemned Azerbaijani’s attempts to circumvent the trilateral statements of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021.

The interlocutors were pleased to state that the centuries-old Armenian-Georgian friendly relations provide a solid groundwork for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

The development of transport communications, including railway infrastructure, was emphasized in the context of promoting trade and economic exchanges. The parties expressed reciprocated interest in initiating new joint programs and pledged to work more closely in this direction.

Both sides stressed the importance of cooperation between Armenia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Greece and Iran on the draft agreement for establishing an international Persian Gulf-Black Sea transport corridor.

Taking the opportunity, Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Garibashvili referred to their respective efforts aimed at lifting the restrictions caused by the global pandemic.