Armenian PM Seeks Deeper Ties in Tbilisi

The newly-elected Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is paying a two-day visit to Tbilisi – his first bilateral visit since he took the post – on May 30-31, met his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Kvirikashvili today.

During the face-to-face meeting this morning, Kvirikashvili and Pashinyan focused on deepening cooperation in politics, trade and economy. They were later joined by their respective cabinet colleagues to continue the discussion in an extended meeting.

At a joint press briefing, Kvirikashvili further affirmed his government’s readiness towards “fruitful cooperation” on the bilateral, regional and international levels. Congratulating Pashinyan on assuming office, he stressed the symbolism of the visit coinciding with the centennial anniversary of restoration of statehood by both Georgia and Armenia.

“Armenia’s stability and democratic development is immensely important for Georgia,” the PM Kvirikashvili said, adding that the Armenian people have shown “an example of unity and loyalty to democratic principles” during recent recent developments there.

Pashinyan was reported as saying that expansion of cooperation with Georgia is of great importance and that he had been sparing no efforts to support Georgia-Armenian relations “as a journalist, as a deputy and now as the Prime Minister.”

“We are now in a phase of developing our mutual cooperation … stimulating our mutual relations, [and] deepening them in all directions and at all levels,” Kvirikashvili’s press office quoted Pashinyan as saying.

As part of his visit, the Armenian Prime Minister met with President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Parliamentary Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze. Pashinyan will also meet  Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II,  and attend an event dedicated to Armenia’s centennial anniversary of restoration of statehood hosted by the City Council of Tbilisi. He will also visit the southern areas of Georgia, where many of Georgia’s ethnic Armenian citizens reside.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)