Parliament Speaker: Challenges in region make it “important” that Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan “start talking to each other”

Given the challenges in the South Caucasus, it is important that Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan “start talking to each other”, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, said on Tuesday.

Papuashvili raised the question of the Peaceful Neighbourhood initiative of Georgia’s Prime Minister, as voiced at a United Nations General Assembly, in his comments on the significance of contributions to peace and security in the region.

Especially considering the risks and challenges in our region, it is important that Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan start talking to each other,” Papuashvili told the media during his trip to Yerevan.

The Georgian official noted PM Garibashvili’s “very close relations” with both the Azerbaijani and Armenian authorities, which he credited for yielding results in an exchange of prisoners in the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

I think Georgia can play a very positive role in this regard - in restoring trust and ensuring lasting peace in the region,” the Parliament Speaker concluded.

The Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia is on an official visit to the Republic of Armenia, holding a series of meetings with the country’s top officials.