Georgia, Armenia Mull Deeper Economic Ties
TBILISI – Georgia’s Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, and his Armenian counterpart, Karen Karapetyan, discussed mutual economic ties and perspectives of deeper cooperation.
Karapetyan arrived in Tbilisi on February 23 on a two-day official meeting.
"Armenia-Georgia relations are very impressive, and the prospects are also promising. We have brought some ideas, and we are happy to discuss them with you,” Armenian PM stated.
During the meeting, the parties emphasized closer cooperation between the countries' departments, and also discussed further transport, energy, and tourism developments. “We are committed to intensifying our trade, economic, and investment relations and deepening regional integration, and we believe it will bring not only economic but also political stability to the region,” Kvirikashvili said.
The regional situation was also discussed at the meeting, and the importance of peace and stability for the development of the countries was emphasized. “We have come here in the spirit of brotherhood and constructive business relations, and I am convinced that our negotiations will result in a new stimulus for utilizing the potential of our relations. We want to create an environment for businesspersons to engage in various projects," said Karapetyan.
After the meeting, a healthcare agreement was signed by the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia.
“This year marks 25th anniversary of launching diplomatic relations between Georgia and Armenia. Throughout these years we managed to intensify the friendly relations between our nations and build mutually beneficial cooperation,” Georgian PM said.
Kvirikashvili also mentioned Armenia’s parliamentary elections, which will be held April 2. He expressed confidence that the elections will be conducted in line with international standards and the principles of democracy.
Karapetyan indicated that he invited the Georgian PM to undertake an official visit to Armenia. Pursuant to the Armenian Prime Minister, this will further strengthen the relations between the two countries. Georgia's President, Giorgi Margvelashvili, sponsored Karapetyan during his visit to Georgia.
The sides discussed the issues of bilateral cooperation between Georgia and Armenia and once again underlined the perspectives of cooperation that exist between the countries, especially economic cooperation. Discussion was also focused on the current situation in the occupied territories of Georgia, regional challenges, and security issues.
By Thea Morrison