Armenian FM says cooperation with Georgia developing “rapidly in all directions”

The cooperation between Armenia and Georgia is developing “rapidly in all directions”, with the countries having an opportunity to achieve “new, important results” by expanding ties in the customs sector while promoting a deepening of contacts between businesses and people, visiting Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Wednesday.

After a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Ilia Darchiashvili, Mirzoyan highlighted intergovernmental ties and said 2024 was “characterised by intense relations”, with Governments of the two countries maintaining “high-level, active contacts” in their political dialogue. 

“At the beginning of the year, the 13th session of the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission was held in Tbilisi, and in March, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze arrived in Armenia. Also, inter-parliamentary relations were active, which has its contribution to the overall picture and development. From the point of view of the strategic partnership between Armenia and Georgia, the relations between our two countries are filled with other elements, which is very good, and dynamics appear in our bilateral relations”, he noted.

He also said the two states had “confirmed at the highest level that they recognise and respect each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty”. Mirzoyan added it was “important that a clear mutual understanding” had formed between the sides to ensure the process of delimitation and demarcation of the state border could “continue and end amicably”. 

The Armenian FM also said his meeting had discussed the situation in the South Caucasus region and “challenges facing Armenia and Georgia”. He further pointed out that in the “fast-developing current geopolitical and regional events”, interaction through international platforms was “very important”.

Mirzoyan  added his country had “enthusiastically” received the news of Georgia being granted the European Union membership candidate status last year, which he said was “of great importance” both for bilateral ties and the region. 

The visiting official also said Armenia was “ready to fully regulate” relations with Turkey and establish diplomatic relations with the country.

He expressed his country’s gratitude to Georgia’s position regarding an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on launching a process for border delimitation in April, adding his Government felt “positive” about a peace treaty, which he added was a “very transparent process”.

“[I]f we keep working intensively for a month, we can complete this process and sign this important agreement with Azerbaijan. We believe that this is a historic event for a lasting peace to be maintained and established in our region. I would also like to discuss the importance of fully unlocking infrastructure and communications in terms of developing and ensuring stability in the region. We are constructively disposed towards the complete unblocking of infrastructure and transport communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This will economically support not only Armenia, but also the large countries of the region, and we think that the opening will bring more peace to the region”, he said.

Mirzoyan also thanked Darchiashvili for  “mutual cooperation” and invited him to Armenia.