Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, accompanied by Foreign Minister, Deputy PM David Zalkaliani, arrived in Yerevan today, where he met with acting Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan, after which the two leaders delivered statements at a joint press conference.
At the joint press conference, PM Garibashvili hailed “centuries-old historical friendly relations” between Georgia and Armenia and expressed his confidence that relations between the two countries will “continue in this spirit.”
Prime Minister Garibashvili said the two leaders talked about prospects for developing existing economic and trade relations, and cooperation in the fields of transportation, energy, tourism, culture, education, and innovation. “We underlined our aspiration to have intense political dialogue,” he noted.
The Georgian PM underscored that peace and regional stability are necessary to advance existing relations, adding that Georgia “has always been a supporter of peaceful cooperation and coexistence in the South Caucasus.” Stressing that the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recent Nagorno-Karabakh war “posed significant difficulties for the entire region,” he remarked that “there is no alternative to peace, negotiations, and dialogue.”
PM Garibashvili further stressed that “the Georgian people have chosen the European and Euro-Atlantic path to strengthen stability, peace, and democratic values,” and that “Armenia’s stability and democratic development is extremely important” for Georgia and the whole region.
On his part, the acting Armenian Prime Minister said, “the development of special neighborly relations with Georgia takes a key place in Armenia’s foreign policy.”
“Our age-old friendship, as well as the common values of democracy and the rule of law, form the solid foundation on which the partnership of our two states is based,” underscored Mr. Pashinyan.
According to the acting Armenian PM, the two leaders agreed to further focus on boosting trade and economic ties between Tbilisi and Yerevan, adding that they emphasized “the need to develop transit potential and the more efficient use of regional transport routes.”
Noting that “each conflict has its own peculiarity,” Mr. Pashinyan said he maintained “a balanced and constructive position on issues that are sensitive to each other,” alluding to Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia regions.
“Armenian-Georgian partnership is one of the strongest guarantees for ensuring stability in our region,” highlighted the Armenian leader.
This is the second neighboring capital Irakli Garibashvili visited since his reelection as the Georgian Prime Minister in February. A week ago, on May 5, PM Garibashvili visited Baku, where he met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, PM Ali Asadov, and Milli Majlis Speaker Sahiba Gafarova.