Armenian FM visits Georgia
By Tea Mariamidze
Wednesday, August 3
The President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, expressed his regret over the armed hostage crisis in Yerevan and hoped for a rapid resolution of the conflict while meeting Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian in Tbilisi on August 1.
The perspectives of deepening cooperation between Georgia and Armenia in the fields of trade, economics and tourism were discussed at the meeting.
Besides bilateral relations between Georgia and Armenia, the sides discussed regional challenges which affect security and stability in the region.
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili expressed concern to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia over the recent developments in Yerevan.
“We are deeply concerned and saddened by the recent developments in Yerevan and welcome peaceful regulation of the situation,” Prime Minister stated during the meeting with Nalbandian.
According to the Prime Minister’s Press Office, an increasing inflow of Armenian tourists to Georgia was emphasized and interest in enhancing cooperation in the transportation industry was expressed.
Particular attention was paid to the continuation of close cooperation in the energy sector. The parties welcomed the construction of a new high-voltage power line.
Nalbandian informed Kvirikashvili about the efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs towards the implementation of the agreements regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and his Armenian counterpart expressed readiness to intensify relations between the foreign ministries and underlined the centuries-long traditions of friendship between the two countries.
The unrest in Armenia’s capital Yerevan started around two weeks ago, when a group of armed men stormed a police station and took nine hostages. Two policemen were killed, and dozens were wounded. This began an ongoing standoff with the government, with growing crowds of protesters joining calls for the resignation of the President Serzh Sargsyan.
