Georgian President in Armenia: “it is very sad that delegations from Nagorno-Karabakh visit the occupied regions of Georgia”
President Zurabishvili says that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is as painful for Georgia as it is for Armenia and Azerbaijan. Photo: President’s Press office.
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Georgian President has stated in Armenia that it is “very sad” that delegations from Nagorno-Karabakh visit the two occupied regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), and discuss these two conflicts as if they are of a similar nature.
This is very sad and painful for us,” Zurabishvili stated in response to the words of the head of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan that cooperation is necessary to settle regional conflicts.
Zurabishvili also stated that the subordination of Armenian churches in Abkhazia to the Russian church “is a violation of [Georgia’s] sovereignty.”
We also believe, and this is our unwavering position, that these conflicts can only be solved by peaceful means. We strongly follow this policy, we do not change this policy, and we believe it has no alternative,” Zurabishvili said.
Great meeting with Ararat Mirzoyan, Chairman of @armenia’s National Assembly. We discussed how #Georgia’s and #Armenia’s legislatures can work together to boost our bipartisan relations. pic.twitter.com/h3o1d9wMOF
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) March 14, 2019
She stated that everything that aggravates these conflicts and makes them difficult to be settled goes against regional interests.
The only way to solve these conflicts is through more active political involvement of our partners,” Zurabishvili said.
She stated that Georgia and Armenia should work together and move to a new stage of solving these conflicts based on international rules and regulations.
Otherwise, everything we are discussing –– economic progress, stability, boosted cooperation, and strengthening of transportation and logistics ties with the EU and other countries –– are only verbal statements,” she said.
Zurabishvili stated that ethnic Armenians and Azerbaijanis live on Georgian territories and “this conflict can be as painful for us as it is for you because if it spreads on our territory, it will be damaging for Georgia”.
Mirzoyan stated that Georgian-Armenian relations are based on common history and values.
Traditionally, we had close parliamentary relations and we are still developing these relations”, he said.
Zurabishvili has already met the Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and President Armen Sarkissian.