“Aravot” interlocutor is Johnny Melikyan, political scientist and Co-Founder of the Analytical Center for Strategic Researches and Initiatives.
– What field do you see for strategic dialogue between Armenia and Georgia? RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced during his working visit to Georgia that RA and Georgia are going to start a strategic conversation.
– Of course, both our countries are working to deepen relations today. Here we should record the strategic projects that can become a reality in the future: infrastructures, highways, railway communication, cooperation in the field of IT, allocation of communications, issues related to the Internet, etc. There are many possibilities. There has been talk about the Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor for a year and a half or two years. It is a project with a strategic perspective in which we, Georgians, and other states are involved, and everyone must do their homework; investments must be made through joint work. If the project becomes a reality, we can find our unique place on the international infrastructure map.
– Do you see prospects for Georgia to be a mediator? Does it have the resources? At one time, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, stated that he had demonstrated in practice that he could be an effective mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan, noting that in June 2021, the return of 15 Armenian prisoners took place with the mediation of Tbilisi.
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– I believe Georgia does not have the resources of a mediator, nor does it want to. Georgia always gives us its territory and offers to consider it as a place where Armenian-Azerbaijani meetings can be organized. The contribution of the United States was no less essential in connection with the return of prisoners of war. Against this background, let’s note that today RA and Azerbaijan have no shortage of platforms; even more, there may be other platforms; here, we have to understand what issues can be discussed on the territory of Georgia and what problems can be discussed.
The Foreign Ministers have already met once, and if necessary, in Baku or Yerevan, they will be okay with holding their negotiations on the territory of Georgia. But there must be an agenda under it. There must be a question that can be discussed there. Yes, they offer their petition, and here some of the reasons are recorded for internal political consumption. After all, Armenians and Azerbaijanis live in Georgia. There is an element related to the external bloc to show that Georgia not only consumes security but also contributes to regional security and stability. Therefore, one should be able to appreciate their abilities and opportunities.
– Do you see prospects for Georgia to be a mediator? Does it have the resources? At one time, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, stated that he had demonstrated in practice that he could be an effective mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan, noting that in June 2021, the return of 15 Armenian prisoners took place with the mediation of Tbilisi.
– I believe Georgia does not have the resources of a mediator, nor does it want to. Georgia always gives us its territory and offers to consider it as a place where Armenian-Azerbaijani meetings can be organized. The contribution of the United States was no less essential in connection with the return of prisoners of war. Against this background, let’s note that today RA and Azerbaijan have no shortage of platforms; even more, there may be other platforms; here, we have to understand what issues can be discussed on the territory of Georgia and what problems can be discussed. The Foreign Ministers have already met once, and if necessary, in Baku or Yerevan, they will be okay with holding their negotiations on the territory of Georgia. But there must be an agenda under it. There must be a question that can be discussed there. Yes, they offer their petition, and here some of the reasons are recorded for internal political consumption. After all, Armenians and Azerbaijanis live in Georgia. There is an element related to the external bloc to show that Georgia not only consumes security but also contributes to regional security and stability. Therefore, one should be able to appreciate their abilities and opportunities.
– In many cases, Georgia is accused of neutrality.
– There are always objective reasons. Another issue is that in connection with the blockade of Artsakh, when there is a question of human rights restrictions, the Lachin corridor has been closed since December; we have yet to hear any response from Georgia, which I wouldn’t say is positive. To be a Democrat and become even more democratic, they should at least express their position on these issues in a neutral way and record that there is such a problem, and on the other hand, the reaction should be such that the relations with Azerbaijan would not deteriorate. But they did not take that step, which we must record as an example.
– In the case of such a policy, how can we count on Georgia in terms of strategic dialogue?
– Since there are commonalities, and if the benefits are more, you should go to dialogue, you should initiate different projects. Georgia is the country through which we go to the outside world, having at least two closed borders, neighbors with a hostile approach, Iran with limited opportunities, then what is left? To work with Georgia. It is also necessary to make them more neutral in today’s situation. For that, work must be done in clear directions to try to settle it. No one is saying that we should change the decades-old balance between them, Azerbaijan and Turkey with our relations, but we must work in those directions. No one says that we will become a strategic ally tomorrow. But all those plans, which will be implemented, will in some way increase their contribution to our relations. Maybe as a result of this, in 10-20 years we will be able to talk about relations at this level.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
