High-ranking officials of the Republic of Armenia have been making active visits to Georgia recently. Among them are President Vahagn Khachaturyan, Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan, Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan, Minister of the Territorial Administration Davit Khudatyan, and others.
Radar Armenia spoke to political scientist Robert Ghevondyan on the topic.
-What are the reasons for the active visits of officials?
-I wouldn't put it that way. From time to time, we see many officials visiting Georgia with various issues, but after the August 8 agreement, a new situation has clearly emerged in the region. This new situation requires clarification, the signing of new contracts, and the development of visions for further growth, within the framework of which, yes, meetings with Georgia have increased slightly in this period. For example, there were many visits to Iran immediately after August 8. If the borders between Armenia and Turkey were open, a series of similar visits to Turkey could be expected.
-During the meeting with the President, Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili noted that Georgia is ready to contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region. How can it contribute, in your opinion?
-Georgia is a key state for Armenia and Azerbaijan, taking into account its geography. Georgia's position can have great importance for the development of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, especially since the region is generally a standard unit for the international community. Its position in this logic is of great importance. Although we know that, recently, the trends observed in Armenia and Azerbaijan have been to move towards the West and away from Russia a little, we have the opposite picture. Georgia is trying to make a particular move towards Russia. At the same time, this does not diminish the need to act in accordance with the general political logic of the region, and it is not that Georgia has completely severed its ties with the West; on the contrary, the current authorities, no matter how pro-Russian steps they take, continue, at least in the form of statements, to present their commitment to Georgia's European integration path, so the importance of Georgia for Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot be overestimated.
-How can the "spirit of exemplary relations" formed between Georgia and Armenia affect regional cooperation?
-First of all, I would draw attention to the fact that, regardless of the political regime in Georgia, foreign policy priorities and twists and turns that we have seen over the past 30 years, Armenian-Georgian relations always continue to develop in the same logic, which clearly shows that Georgia is a critical state for Armenia, and Armenia is equally important for Georgia. Having mutual problems is not in anyone's interests. This is an example for Azerbaijan. Regardless of whether the relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia have been warm, there have been quite serious problems, unlike the Armenian-Georgian relations.
Lilit Abrahamyan
