Ambassador: Tbilisi hopes for signing of peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku in the near future

The signing of the joint declaration on strategic partnership between Armenia and Georgia has raised the cooperation between the two countries to a level that will not only deepen ties between the two countries, but will also significantly contribute to regional cooperation and stability.

Giorgi Sharvashidze, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Republic of Armenia, said this in an interview with Armenpress, implying the rich agenda between the two countries, which includes issues of economic, political and military cooperation, expectations of the Armenian-Georgian partnership, and the situation in the region. The interview took place on October 24.

Mr. Ambassador, Armenia and Georgia have always had warm and friendly relations. In January 2024 Armenia and Georgia signed a joint declaration on strategic partnership. How would you assess the current level of political dialog between the two countries and the signing of that declaration? In your opinion, how important is it from the point of view of deepening relations between the two countries?

There is a centuries-old tradition of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation between Georgians and Armenians. I would like to remind that from July 1, 2023 citizens of Georgia and Armenia have the right to cross the border without passports, only with biometric identity cards.

In January 2024, Armenia and Georgia signed a joint declaration on strategic partnership, which raised the cooperation between the two countries to a new level. We strongly believe that this new dimension of our partnership will not only deepen the ties between Georgia and Armenia, but will also make a great contribution to regional cooperation and stability.

As you know, according to the Bank of Georgia Group, in March this year, Georgia made an unprecedented direct investment in the Republic of Armenia, whereby the Bank of Georgia bought the largest Armenian financial institution, Ameria Bank, for $303.6 million. It is obvious to me that in the near future there will be a significant increase in cooperation between our nations.

At the invitation of the Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani, a delegation headed by the Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikian paid an official visit to Georgia on September 1. How would you assess the defense relations between the two countries and what impact can these visits have on the military ties between the two countries?

Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani made a very successful visit to Armenia on July 13, 2024. In addition, Minister Papikian visited Georgia on July 13. This very active dynamic of high-level visits between ministries of different sectors is a testament to the extremely effective cooperation between our governments. Bilateral cooperation between the Ministries of Defense has been developing for many years, giving the two countries an opportunity to exchange experience in the field of defense and security, to accumulate invaluable experience, to create together with the Military Academy a large-scale NCO training center and to have all the necessary tools to train future officers. Representatives of the Armenian Armed Forces actively participate in educational programs and multinational military exercises organized in Georgia. We also host Armenian representatives at the Defense Construction School of Georgia, the first NATO-accredited institution in the region, and provide ample opportunities for professional development, information exchange, security and defense policy, and cooperation in the field of defense management, including regional and international cooperation.

For a long time Armenia and Azerbaijan have been negotiating the signing of a peace treaty. A few months ago, an agreement was reached between the two states on the delimitation of the state border, and a certain part of the border was delimited. How do you assess these negotiations and what is Tbilisi's point of view regarding the negotiations between Yerevan and Baku? In your opinion, what significance do they have for the South Caucasus?

Georgia is sincerely interested in maintaining peace and stability in the region. In our opinion, peaceful coexistence, dialog and constructive cooperation is in the interest of all. The Georgian side once again expresses its readiness to facilitate and support this process as much as our neighbors need and demand. We hope that a peace treaty will be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the near future.

Mr. Ambassador, recently there have been many talks about the delimitation of the Armenian-Georgian border, and high representatives of the two countries have expressed readiness to resume and complete the work on the delimitation of the state border between Armenia and Georgia. What can you say about it, how important is it for the relations between the two countries?

The delimitation and demarcation of the state border remains an important item on the agenda of bilateral relations between Georgia and Armenia. And as noted during Prime Minister Pashinian's recent visit to Tbilisi, the two countries will continue to work towards resuming this process in line with the established practice between the commissions on delimitation and demarcation of the state border of Georgia and Armenia.

Last year, the Government of the Republic of Armenia published the “Crossroads of Peace” project. What is Georgia's opinion on this initiative?

Given the current global developments, the South Caucasus offers completely new opportunities for the entire European continent. The strategic location of the region, connecting East and West, as well as energy resources are crucial for sustainable connectivity. Existing as well as new regional energy and infrastructure initiatives will greatly enhance the potential of our region.

Georgia has made connectivity a top priority, an important part of which is not only an economic initiative, but also the Middle Corridor. With this in mind, we have launched a number of energy and infrastructure projects aimed at deepening the integration of our region.

On October 22, the Georgian Prime Minister announced the start of construction of the strategic deep-water seaport of Anaklia. 500 people will be employed to increase logistics capacity between Asia and Europe. Construction works have already started and we aim to receive the first ship at this port in 2029. The port will contribute to the economic development of the country, increase Georgia's regional and international importance and strengthen our security. The realization of this project is vital both economically and politically. The project is important for improving the infrastructure and competitiveness of the Middle Corridor, a logistics route that connects Central Asia and China to Europe through the South Caucasus via Georgia.

From a peacekeeping perspective, Georgia has a genuine interest in promoting regional cooperation among the countries of the South Caucasus. Georgia has proposed a format of cooperation that can help regulate regional relations through dialog, confidence building and realization of concrete projects of mutual interest: economy and trade, culture, education and innovation, etc. In general, we consider regional initiatives aimed at ensuring sustainable economic development, lasting peace and stability in the region.

Economic relations and cooperation between Armenia and Georgia. What was the volume of trade between the two countries in 2023? What trends are observed in the bilateral export-import markets?

In the history of Georgia's trade with Armenia, 2023 exports were a record $787 million 129,000 dollars, a 34.7% increase from 2022. The number of tourists traveling between Georgia and Armenia increases every year. According to Georgian data, 962,500 tourists from Armenia visited Georgia in 2023. According to the National Tourism Administration of Georgia, the number of visitors from Armenia in the first half of 2024 amounted to 387,691. Armenia ranks third in the number of visitors after Turkey and Russia. As for the number of Georgians who visited Armenia last year (348,980 visitors), Georgia ranks second among other visitors to Armenia.

In your opinion, which directions are the most interesting in terms of development and deepening of relations and cooperation between the two countries?

We welcome the close trade and economic ties between Georgia and Armenia and attach great importance to their further development. In recent years, Armenia has traditionally been one of Georgia's top ten largest trading partners. We believe that there is an opportunity to increase Georgia's exports to the Armenian market, as well as Armenian products to the Georgian market. Other areas of focus are tourism, innovation, culture and education. We should continue to support business conferences, B2B and other high-level economic meetings to improve our economy and motivate investors to be more active. We are ready to work together with our Armenian partners to achieve these promising goals.

Mr. Ambassador, as you said, the mutual visits of high-level officials of the two countries have recently intensified. The last high-level visit took place on September 16, when RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Tbilisi. How important do you consider these visits from the point of view of the future of bilateral relations between the two nations and the strengthening of the Armenian-Georgian relations?

The exchange of visits at all levels and especially at the highest level is extremely important. These bilateral discussions gradually create a solid basis for practical cooperation and interaction, which eventually translates into tangible results for our peoples and countries.

Mr. Sharvashidze, are there any high-level visits from Georgia to Armenia scheduled in the near future?

As you know, parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on October 26, 2024. Georgia has a very strong desire to keep the dynamics of visits with Armenia at the same level and I am sure that after the formation of the new government of Georgia, high-level visits will follow.

Mr. Ambassador, do you have anything to add?

As you know, the Embassy of Georgia already has a new address: Tsaravakhbyur 127 (0052 Yerevan) in the Avan district of Yerevan. In April 2024, the Prime Ministers of Georgia and Armenia Irakli Kobakhidze and Nikol Pashinyan celebrated the opening of the new building of the Georgian Embassy in Armenia, which was a milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two countries. This is a truly historic achievement. It is the first time Georgia has owned its embassy building in Armenia. The design of the building incorporates various ethnic and cultural motifs reflecting Georgia's rich heritage. The Embassy has already hosted significant cultural, educational and ethnographic events on its premises. It has already become a place of cooperation between the Georgian and Armenian peoples. In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your interest and the opportunity to provide a comprehensive overview of the exemplary bilateral relations between Georgia and Armenia. I wish Armenia and the Armenian people peace and prosperity.

Reprinted from https://news.am/