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Rustavi-2 TV, Georgia
Jan 17 2013
Georgian, Armenian PMs discuss Karabakh, Abkhaz railway, economic ties
[Translated from Georgian]
Visiting Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has met his
Armenian counterpart Tigran Sargsyan in Yerevan, Georgian Rustavi-2 TV
reported on 17 January.
In remarks at a joint briefing after their meeting, they discussed the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the possible restoration of the
Georgia-Russia railway and bilateral Georgian-Armenian economic
cooperation.
Karabakh
Ivan ishvili said in Georgian: "As far as the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem is concerned, the issue is very complicated. I spoke with the
Azerbaijani president, Mr Ilham Alliyev, about this issue during my
visit to Azerbaijan. I communicated his position to Mr Prime Minister
[Sargsyan]. I will not go into detail as to where and how we discussed
it but I can tell the press that the issue is quite difficult and it
seems that it will be hard to solve it in the near future. My wish and
my exhortation, if you will, would be that this problem should be
solved only through peaceful means."
Ivanishvili also berated Rustavi-2 correspondent Nato Makhviladze for
asking a question about a recent statement by Georgian Foreign
Minister Maia Panjikidze that had been misinterpreted by some
Azerbaijani media as implying that the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
"can only be solved in favour of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity".
Ivanishvili said his government had clarified the remark "a thousand
times" and told Rustavi-2's correspondent: "It was distorted, there
was an explanation that it was distorted and yet you are still asking
a question about the distortion."
Sargsyan expressed his gratitude for the clarification in Armenian: "I
want to extend great thanks to the prime minister for their
[Georgia's] balanced position on the Karabakh conflict. Things often
get distorted when Nagornyy Karbakh is concerned. I want to thank my
Georgian colleagues for reacting in a very operative manner to this
distortion and made a decision that is befitting of Georgia."
Abkhaz railway
Also discussed at the briefing was the possible restoration of railway
service between Georgia and Russia through the breakaway region of
Abkhazia. Armenia strongly supports the reopening of the link to its
main trade partner and strategic ally, Russia.
Ivanishvili said in Russian (according to Rustavi-2's Georgian
translation): "I believe the restoration of the railway is possible.
More can be done. There are no problems in relations between our two
countries, Georgia and Armenia. But as you know, we had a big problem
with Russia. And this problem remains. We hope to and we are trying to
solve our problems with Russia. The deepest problem is Georgia's
territorial integrity. This cannot be solved any time soon. But the
railway's restoration is possible if all parties show political will.
Georgia, for its part, expresses its readiness. But there is the
Russian side. We do not have good relations with our fraternal Abkhaz
people. All the sides must express readiness. For our part we are
ready to solve this issue as soon as possible."
Sargsyan, also speaking Russian, said: "We expressed our position that
we will increase our efforts to ensure the restoration of the railway.
We are interested in seeing this problem resolved as soon as possible.
We will stake out an active position towards the resolution of this
issue."
Economic integration
In reporting on the Ivanishvili-Sargysan briefing, Georgia's Imedi TV,
in contrast, ignored the two above issues and focused on the prime
ministers' discussion on economic cooperation.
It showed Ivanishvili calling for "maximum integration" of the two
countries' economies and work towards a "common market" in the South
Caucasus. He added: "Our new government, our team, is maximally
committed to deepening the relationship between these two friendly
states and, first and foremost, economic relations should be
expanded."
Sargsyan, for his part, was shown saying: "There has not been a
problem in the history of the two peoples that could not be overcome.
There is a great potential for joint economic development of our two
countries. A bilateral joint group will be created to work on economic
issues."
Imedi reported that two bilateral agreements, between the two
countries customs services and their culture ministries, had been
signed during Ivanishvili's visit.
[Translated from Georgian]
Jan 17 2013
Georgian, Armenian PMs discuss Karabakh, Abkhaz railway, economic ties
[Translated from Georgian]
Visiting Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has met his
Armenian counterpart Tigran Sargsyan in Yerevan, Georgian Rustavi-2 TV
reported on 17 January.
In remarks at a joint briefing after their meeting, they discussed the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the possible restoration of the
Georgia-Russia railway and bilateral Georgian-Armenian economic
cooperation.
Karabakh
Ivan ishvili said in Georgian: "As far as the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem is concerned, the issue is very complicated. I spoke with the
Azerbaijani president, Mr Ilham Alliyev, about this issue during my
visit to Azerbaijan. I communicated his position to Mr Prime Minister
[Sargsyan]. I will not go into detail as to where and how we discussed
it but I can tell the press that the issue is quite difficult and it
seems that it will be hard to solve it in the near future. My wish and
my exhortation, if you will, would be that this problem should be
solved only through peaceful means."
Ivanishvili also berated Rustavi-2 correspondent Nato Makhviladze for
asking a question about a recent statement by Georgian Foreign
Minister Maia Panjikidze that had been misinterpreted by some
Azerbaijani media as implying that the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
"can only be solved in favour of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity".
Ivanishvili said his government had clarified the remark "a thousand
times" and told Rustavi-2's correspondent: "It was distorted, there
was an explanation that it was distorted and yet you are still asking
a question about the distortion."
Sargsyan expressed his gratitude for the clarification in Armenian: "I
want to extend great thanks to the prime minister for their
[Georgia's] balanced position on the Karabakh conflict. Things often
get distorted when Nagornyy Karbakh is concerned. I want to thank my
Georgian colleagues for reacting in a very operative manner to this
distortion and made a decision that is befitting of Georgia."
Abkhaz railway
Also discussed at the briefing was the possible restoration of railway
service between Georgia and Russia through the breakaway region of
Abkhazia. Armenia strongly supports the reopening of the link to its
main trade partner and strategic ally, Russia.
Ivanishvili said in Russian (according to Rustavi-2's Georgian
translation): "I believe the restoration of the railway is possible.
More can be done. There are no problems in relations between our two
countries, Georgia and Armenia. But as you know, we had a big problem
with Russia. And this problem remains. We hope to and we are trying to
solve our problems with Russia. The deepest problem is Georgia's
territorial integrity. This cannot be solved any time soon. But the
railway's restoration is possible if all parties show political will.
Georgia, for its part, expresses its readiness. But there is the
Russian side. We do not have good relations with our fraternal Abkhaz
people. All the sides must express readiness. For our part we are
ready to solve this issue as soon as possible."
Sargsyan, also speaking Russian, said: "We expressed our position that
we will increase our efforts to ensure the restoration of the railway.
We are interested in seeing this problem resolved as soon as possible.
We will stake out an active position towards the resolution of this
issue."
Economic integration
In reporting on the Ivanishvili-Sargysan briefing, Georgia's Imedi TV,
in contrast, ignored the two above issues and focused on the prime
ministers' discussion on economic cooperation.
It showed Ivanishvili calling for "maximum integration" of the two
countries' economies and work towards a "common market" in the South
Caucasus. He added: "Our new government, our team, is maximally
committed to deepening the relationship between these two friendly
states and, first and foremost, economic relations should be
expanded."
Sargsyan, for his part, was shown saying: "There has not been a
problem in the history of the two peoples that could not be overcome.
There is a great potential for joint economic development of our two
countries. A bilateral joint group will be created to work on economic
issues."
Imedi reported that two bilateral agreements, between the two
countries customs services and their culture ministries, had been
signed during Ivanishvili's visit.
[Translated from Georgian]