Armenian defence minister discusses transport, security issues in Georgia
Georgian State Television Channel 1, Tbilisi
1 Apr 04
Presenter The secretary of the Security Council under the Armenian
president and the Armenian defence minister, Serzh Sarkisyan, is
visiting Tbilisi today. The main purpose of the visit is to outline
the prospects for Georgian-Armenian cooperation in security issues.
The possible reopening of the Abkhaz section of the Sochi-Tbilisi
railway line and a possible reduction in railway tariffs will also be
discussed. Today Serzh Sarkisyan had meetings with National Security
Council Secretary Vano Merabishvili, Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and
the chief of the General Staff of the Georgian armed forces, Givi
Iukuridze.
Correspondent Georgia’s and Armenia’s political and military
orientations are different, but this does not hinder friendly
relations between the two countries. Western-oriented Georgia is
asking Armenia, which maintains good relations with Russia, to act as
a mediator with respect to Russia in resolving the Abkhazia issue in
exchange for the reopening of the Sochi-Tbilisi railway line. Passage
omitted
Serzh Sarkisyan, interviewed, in Russian We cannot make demands on our
brothers and neighbours. We have a favour to ask, so that the railway
line and traffic are restored, because it is very, very important for
Armenia.
Vano Merabishvili, in Georgian Both the Armenian side, the Russian
side and the Georgian side are interested in this process. Therefore,
we have asked the Armenian side to activate its work, to use its
influence with Russia to resolve this issue in a manner which would be
in the interests of Georgia and, respectively, in the interests of
Armenia as well. Passage omitted
Correspondent Merabishvili apologized to the Armenian side for the
complicated situation in Ajaria. Passage omitted
Merabishvili We have apologized to the Armenian side because there
were restrictions on certain freight during the recent economic
blockade of Ajaria . Generally, the issue that freight is being
transported through the territory of Ajaria without control, changes
tack – and the central authorities’ efforts to take control over this
territory may cause some changes in the plans of Armenian entrepreneurs
and Armenian freight forwarders. Therefore, the Armenian side met our
proposals with understanding, and we promised every kind of
assistance. Passage omitted