Armenia to help fund road building in ethnic Armenian region of Georgia
Imedi TV, Tbilisi
24 Jul 05
[Presenter] The Armenian prime minister crossed the Georgian-Armenian
border by car this morning. Andranik Markaryan was met by his Georgian
counterpart, Zurab Noghaideli, and the governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti,
Goga Khachidze.
Andranik Markaryan’s visit will last for two days and end in
Tbilisi. The two prime ministers will meet local residents in
Samtskhe-Javakheti and visit Ninotsminda, Gandzani and Akhalkalaki.
The prime ministers made their first comments in the village of
Satkhe, saying that the main challenge was to improve the
economy. They announced that Armenia is prepared to help the Georgian
government finance road repairs. Local people say there are no
problems between Georgians and Armenians.
[Noghaideli, in Russian] It was a very good idea to come here. We will
discuss several issues relating to economic cooperation between our
two countries. More specifically, we will discuss how to develop
border regions and this region, Javakheti. You have seen for
yourselves that the road infrastructure needs to be developed. We need
to provide opportunities for economic development and we are doing
that. We are doing it quickly. I think that in three or four years
this region will be unrecognizable.
[Markaryan, in Russian] This is the first time in history that both
prime ministers have been on the border of Armenia and Georgia in a
village where there are issues relating to both Armenia and
Georgia. We think that we will be able to solve these problems
together.
[Samvel Isayan, local resident, in Russian] We are showing that we are
not just friends in words. We should meet more often.