Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is paying an official visit to Georgia, called at Heroes Square in Tbilisi to lay a wreath at the Memorial of Heroes, after which he headed for the Office of Government. Following the official welcoming ceremony, Nikol Pashinyan and Giorgi Kvirikashvili held tete-a-tete talks, at which the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia discussed issues on the agenda of bilateral relations and the prospects of their development.
The Prime Ministers’ private meeting was followed by the extended meeting of the official delegations of the two countries. Greeting his Armenian counterpart, the Prime Minister of Georgia once again congratulated Nikol Pashinyan on his election as Prime Minister, as well as on the 100th Anniversary of the First Republic of Armenia.
The Georgian Premier stressed that his government is prepared to take steps to expand the ongoing cooperation between the two countries and give a strong impetus to Armenian-Georgian relations. “We closely followed the recent developments in Armenia. The friendly people of Armenia displayed solidarity, which resulted in a peaceful transfer of power through the democratic way. I want to assure you that we will do everything to add momentum to our relations and tap the full potential. We have a good chance to start a new round of relationships between the two friendly nations,” the Georgian Prime Minister said.
Thankful for the warm reception, Nikol Pashinyan noted that friendship between Armenia and Georgia is deeply rooted in history. “It is no mere coincidence that my first official foreign trip is being made to brotherly Georgia, with which we have close historic ties, long-standing friendship and mutual respect. I am convinced that as anchored on warm relationships between our two countries and peoples, the interstate dialogue will help build a solid foundation for our cooperation,” the Prime Minister of Armenia said, noting the two heads of government shared the same views as regards bilateral relations.
Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Giorgi Kvirikashvili on the 100th anniversary of reinstatement of Georgia’s sovereign statehood. Prime Minister Pashinyan availed himself of the opportunity to evoke Armenia’s political developments, noting that the non-violent change of power was the manifestation of our people’s will and had no geopolitical implications. The Prime Minister emphasized that the further development of relations with Georgia will continue to be one of the priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy. In this context, Nikol Pashinyan assured that the new Armenian government is keen to reinvigorate the cooperation with Georgia. The Premier expressed conviction that his visit will help the sides outline new opportunities and directions of cooperation for the sake of both States and peoples.
“I would like to underscore that we are prepared to discuss issues of bilateral relations in a sincere and friendly atmosphere as becomes the two neighboring and brotherly nations. I am confident that we will continue to be guided by the principle that there are no unsolvable issues between us,” Nikol Pashinyan pointed out.
The Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia discussed a wide range of issues related to Armenian-Georgian cooperation in the spheres of trade and economy, energy, transport, agriculture, tourism and culture. The parties expressed satisfaction with the current level of cooperation in the energy sector, highlighting the prospects for further development of transport communications.
Nikol Pashinyan and Giorgi Kvirikashvili expressed conviction that economic cooperation could boost bilateral trade turnover. They stressed the importance of the free economic zone of Meghri and the possibility of using it as a platform on the way to third-country markets.
Nikol Pashinyan and Giorgi Kvirikashvili touched upon regional issues and prioritized the maintenance of security and stability in the region.
Coming to historical-cultural ties, the interlocutors highlighted the preservation and conservation of the two peoples’ rich cultural heritage.
In conclusion, Nikol Pashinyan invited Giorgi Kvirikashvili to visit Armenia at his convenience.