Georgian Prime Minister's Official Tour to Armenia Strengthens Ties
On March 25, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan welcomed Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to Armenia on an official visit, marking a significant moment for bilateral relations between the neighboring nations.
The day commenced with an official welcoming ceremony followed by a private discussion between the Prime Ministers, which later expanded into broader talks.
In his welcoming remarks, Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed his sincere pleasure at hosting Prime Minister Kobakhidze and his delegation and congratulated Kobakhidze on his appointment as the Prime Minister of Georgia. Pashinyan conveyed his optimism regarding enhanced cooperation between Armenia and Georgia across various sectors, referencing the recently discussed declaration on strategic dialogue between the two countries. He emphasized the importance of Kobakhidze's visit and expressed confidence in active bilateral cooperation and dialogue prospects.
In response, Prime Minister Kobakhidze expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality and underscored the significance of advancing relations between Armenia and Georgia. He highlighted recent milestones in bilateral relations, particularly the elevation of cooperation to the level of strategic partnership. Kobakhidze stressed the shared values between the two nations and thanked Armenia for its steadfast support of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He reiterated Georgia's unwavering support for Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and emphasized the potential for further deepening political and economic cooperation.
During their discussions, Pashinyan and Kobakhidze explored various aspects of Armenia-Georgia cooperation across multiple sectors. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation within the framework of the strategic partnership declaration and emphasized the importance of advancing collaboration in political, economic, and humanitarian spheres. Both leaders underscored the need to bolster trade relations and discussed the ongoing border delimitation process between Armenia and Georgia.
Additionally, Pashinyan and Kobakhidze exchanged views on regional developments of significance. Pashinyan provided updates on the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty negotiations, while both leaders emphasized the critical importance of protecting the territorial integrity of their respective states.
In the press statements, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed his pleasure at hosting Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and his delegation in Armenia for the first time. He congratulated Kobakhidze on his appointment and expressed confidence in his contributions to deepening relations between Armenia and Georgia. Pashinyan highlighted the recent signing of a joint declaration on strategic partnership between the two countries during the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation. He underscored the importance of unconditionally recognizing each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty, as outlined in the declaration. Pashinyan also discussed the demarcation process between Armenia and Georgia, emphasizing the strategic significance of cooperation between the two countries for regional stability and mutual benefit. He expressed Armenia's support for Georgia's candidacy for EU membership and reiterated Armenia's commitment to normalization of relations with Azerbaijan based on agreed principles. Pashinyan thanked Georgia for its active involvement in promoting peace and normalization in the region.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and underscored the longstanding cooperative and brotherly relations between Armenia and Georgia. He highlighted the recent elevation of cooperation to the level of strategic partnership and emphasized the importance of deepening cooperation in various fields, including transport, economy, and tourism. Kobakhidze reaffirmed Georgia's support for Armenia's territorial integrity and expressed hope for the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He thanked Prime Minister Pashinyan for the productive discussions and extended an invitation to visit Georgia, emphasizing the importance of maintaining high-level bilateral visits to strengthen partnership between the two countries. Kobakhidze concluded by reiterating the shared goal of developing and strengthening Armenia-Georgia cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations.
During the meeting between Irakli Kobakhidze and Vahagn Khachaturyan, the President of the Republic of Armenia, the focus was on the productive cooperation between the two nations across various sectors and their longstanding good neighborly relations. Both sides acknowledged that the strategic partnership agreement has elevated bilateral relations to a new qualitative level. There was an emphasis on the potential to further strengthen ties in different areas and the importance of leveraging this potential. Regional processes were also discussed, with the Prime Minister reaffirming Georgia's strong support for peace and stability in the South Caucasus. The extended-format meeting included representatives from both governments.