Georgia-Armenia friendship grows

Unwavering friendship is a way to describe the Georgia-Armenia relationship and today, the countries’ leaders made a promise that would cement their joint friendship in a physical sense.

In Armenia today, Georgia’s Prime Minister met the Armenian Prime Minister and agreed to jointly construct a bridge to commemorate their friendship.

The decision was made at a meeting where Georgia’s Irakli Garibashvili and Armenia’s Hovik Abrahamyan discussed the prospects of deepening political and economic relations.

One of the main issues discussed was the destructive landslide which hit Dariali Gorge last night, damaging a pipe that supplied gas from Russia to Armenia, via Georgia.

Abrahamyan said some kind of assistance would be offered to Georgia to help it recoup the losses caused by the landslide near the Georgia-Russia border.

At a joint press conference after the leaders’ meeting, Garibashvili said the gas supply to Armenia would resume in about the next few days.

"The Armenian Prime Minister has noted the issue of the landslide, which is the second time this has happened this year. We have expressed our optimism for the gas supply to Armenia to be renewed in just two or three days,” Garibashvili said.

He also told journalists of the increasing level of cooperation between Georgia and Armenia.

"I am very pleased to once again have the opportunity to visit our friend country, with which we have a long history of cooperation and respect. We have agreed to further deepen the close friendship and cooperation between Armenia and Georgia,” said Garibashvili.

"This year we have increased trade turnover over the past six months, from 46 percent to 50 percent, if we compare [numbers] to 2012, and of course we will certainly continue this,” he said.

The PM also noted Georgia and Armenia had reached an agreement to jointly construct a bridge that would symbolize the friendship of the two countries.

"Today I heard about a very interesting initiative. That this bridge will be called a bridge of friendship and of course we happily agreed to this proposal,” he noted.

The Georgian Prime Minister’s official two-day visit to Armenia began today. Accompanying Garibashvili is a Georgian delegation, which comprised of Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Maia Panjikidze, Minister of Economy Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Minister of Energy Kakha Kaladze, Parliament Member Ruslan Pogosian, Deputy Head of Government Administration Nino Kobakhidze and Chairman of the Crisis Management and Security Council Mindia Janelidze.

Garibashvili was invited to Armenia by his counterpart and will also meet Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan while abroad.