Sargsyan: Regional conflicts should not separate Yerevan and Tbilisi

Over the last two and a half decades, the relations between Armenia and Georgia have been developing on the basis of friendship, mutual understanding, and common values, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at a joint briefing with his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Margvelashvili in Tbilisi, where the Armenian leader arrived on an official visit.

According to Sargsyan, Georgia has a special attraction for Armenia, the latter treats Georgian people with particular warmth. "We are ready to deepen multi-level cooperation with Georgia, we are interested in further mutual visits ... During today's talks we touched upon a whole range of issues on the bilateral agenda, primarily concerning trade and economic relations," Sargsyan said.

According to him, there is a huge potential to develop cooperation in energy, transport, and tourism. Prospects of setting up joint ventures were discussed. Sargsyan believes that Georgia can take advantage of Armenia's opportunities to export its products to the market of the Eurasian Economic Union. Moreover, the recently opened free economic zone on the Armenian-Iranian border will allow Tbilisi entering the Iranian market.

"Mister President and I also discussed the problems of security and stability in the South Caucasus. We consider it important to maintain a balanced approach to sensitive issues. We agreed that a comprehensive and long-term settlement of regional conflicts should take place exclusively in a peaceful manner within the agreed formats. We have a point - and I say it sincerely – that at all negotiations we are trying to get such a document, such statements, which would not contradict the interests of Georgia. I think maintaining such an approach from both the Armenian and Georgian sides will only benefit us," the Armenian president said.

EADaily repeatedly wrote about the problems and pitfalls that exist in the relations between the two neighbors. The matter, in particular, concerns the colossal influence of Turkey and Azerbaijan on Tbilisi. The economic and political expansion of Ankara and Baku casts a shadow over the efforts made by Armenian and Georgian politicians to bring about a rapprochement. Periodic summits in the Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan format at the level of foreign or defense ministers, at which statements on Karabakh are predictably adopted in a favorable light for Baku cannot but alarm the Armenian side. Apparently, this is the reason for Sargsyan's call for solidarity and some coordination of actions and decisions in the future.