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Mediamax, Armenia
Jan 16 2013
Georgian PM interviewed on ties with Armenia
On January 17, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili will pay
his first visit to Armenia. On the eve of the visit, he gave an
exclusive interview to Mediamax agency.
[Mediamax] Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your readiness to answer
our questions. How do you assess the current state of Armenia-Georgian
relations? What do you think needs to be improved?
[Ivanishvili] Thank you for your interest. Armenia and Georgia has a
huge potential for development of their cooperation. First of all, we
should assess these options and work out a new multi-channel strategy
for developing the cooperation. I am not sure that the resources have
been studied enough. New approaches to the development of our
bilateral relations and our joint participation in international
formats are needed.
[Mediamax] Armenia is isolated from regional energy and transport
projects which are implemented with participation of Georgia and
Azerbaijan. Do you see any opportunity for changing the situation and
involving Armenia?
[Ivanishvili] South-Caucasian cooperation should develop in all the
spheres. Of course, we should strive to build common economic area
covering all the region. We should focus on new approaches in
Caucasian regional policy, create new joint projects of both bilateral
and multilateral character.
Naturally, we should create conditions for conflict settlement across
our whole region. It will create prerequisites for development of the
economic cooperation. Development of environmental cooperation, our
shared space, is of special importance.
[Mediamax] Shortly after Georgian Dream's [Ivanishvili-led coalition]
victory at the Georgian parliamentary elections there were talks about
the prospects of resumption of the Abkhazian sector of the railway
which faded away, though. Are you ready to discuss this prospect
before the political settlement of the Abkhazian issue?
[Ivanishvili] We all are ready for discussion of both problematic and
promising issues. It's more important that all the sides involved in
the process were ready. We are in nonstandard conditions and the
search for innovative approaches to settlement of the current
problematic issues is needed.
[Mediamax] For clear reasons, Armenia supports the peoples
self-determination principle and Georgia backs the principle of
territorial integrity. Does it create problems in the relations of the
two countries?
[Ivanishvili] I don't see any contradictions between the two principles.
The Georgian side is interested in earliest settlement of the
conflicts in South Caucasus. Georgia supports shared principles of
territorial integrity and sovereignty of each state.
As for the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Georgia supports the settlement
of the conflict only in a peaceful way, based on the norms and
principles of international law.
More active participation of the international community is mandatory
for the process of the conflict settlement.
[Mediamax] In spring 2011, in his interview to our agency, then -
oppositional politician and currently member of your team, Vice Prime
Minister and Defense Minister Irakli Alasania expressed the wish to
have more Armenian politicians in Georgia. "Georgia will only benefit
from it", he noted. Is your government ready to encourage Georgian
Armenians to more active participation in political processes?
[Ivanishvili] Georgian citizens should be more active irrespective of
their ethnic descent. We support strengthening of integration
processes. At the same time, we should overcome the current
hindrances. Historically, Georgian Armenians took part in ruling the
country and were good Georgian politicians. And now there are
politicians who are of Armenian descent and many of them are
represented in the parliament and the Georgian government. I know that
there are Armenian politicians who come from various Georgian regions
in Armenia as well.
[Mediamax] Over past several years, Armenia and Georgia have argued
over the belonging of a number of churches in Tbilisi. And while the
sides are disputing churches are being destroyed or are close to
destruction. In early January particularly, we visited Tbilisi and saw
that cracks on the facade of Norashen church have become substantially
bigger over the past years and the church may come down at any time.
What do you think of the ways of settling this issue?
[Ivanishvili] All the monuments on Georgia's territory are protected
by the state. It should be noted that over many years, Georgia has
paid special attention to the issues of preserving cultural and
architectural heritage. However, we are going to boost investments in
this area - both state and off-budget ones. We should not argue but
work over preserving our cultural heritage which is a shared spiritual
and economic resource.
[Mediamax] Though it's only 5-hour drive from Yerevan to Tbilisi,
citizens of the two countries, especially young people, don't know
about each other much. Such a situation provides a fertile ground for
strengthening mutual fears and stereotypes and creating new myths.
What do you think the Armenian and Georgian politicians may do to
boost ties between common people?
[Ivanishvili] I fully share your standpoint. I think first of all, we
should boost development of youth tourism. Our university community
has a great role in this process. This area should be paid much
attention to and relevant ministries should create a new vision of
development of cooperation between our citizens. At the same time, I
don't think we should limit ourselves to the age categories. We should
demonstrate special care toward the elderly, pensioners and create
conditions for development of regional tourism.
Jan 16 2013
Georgian PM interviewed on ties with Armenia
On January 17, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili will pay
his first visit to Armenia. On the eve of the visit, he gave an
exclusive interview to Mediamax agency.
[Mediamax] Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your readiness to answer
our questions. How do you assess the current state of Armenia-Georgian
relations? What do you think needs to be improved?
[Ivanishvili] Thank you for your interest. Armenia and Georgia has a
huge potential for development of their cooperation. First of all, we
should assess these options and work out a new multi-channel strategy
for developing the cooperation. I am not sure that the resources have
been studied enough. New approaches to the development of our
bilateral relations and our joint participation in international
formats are needed.
[Mediamax] Armenia is isolated from regional energy and transport
projects which are implemented with participation of Georgia and
Azerbaijan. Do you see any opportunity for changing the situation and
involving Armenia?
[Ivanishvili] South-Caucasian cooperation should develop in all the
spheres. Of course, we should strive to build common economic area
covering all the region. We should focus on new approaches in
Caucasian regional policy, create new joint projects of both bilateral
and multilateral character.
Naturally, we should create conditions for conflict settlement across
our whole region. It will create prerequisites for development of the
economic cooperation. Development of environmental cooperation, our
shared space, is of special importance.
[Mediamax] Shortly after Georgian Dream's [Ivanishvili-led coalition]
victory at the Georgian parliamentary elections there were talks about
the prospects of resumption of the Abkhazian sector of the railway
which faded away, though. Are you ready to discuss this prospect
before the political settlement of the Abkhazian issue?
[Ivanishvili] We all are ready for discussion of both problematic and
promising issues. It's more important that all the sides involved in
the process were ready. We are in nonstandard conditions and the
search for innovative approaches to settlement of the current
problematic issues is needed.
[Mediamax] For clear reasons, Armenia supports the peoples
self-determination principle and Georgia backs the principle of
territorial integrity. Does it create problems in the relations of the
two countries?
[Ivanishvili] I don't see any contradictions between the two principles.
The Georgian side is interested in earliest settlement of the
conflicts in South Caucasus. Georgia supports shared principles of
territorial integrity and sovereignty of each state.
As for the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Georgia supports the settlement
of the conflict only in a peaceful way, based on the norms and
principles of international law.
More active participation of the international community is mandatory
for the process of the conflict settlement.
[Mediamax] In spring 2011, in his interview to our agency, then -
oppositional politician and currently member of your team, Vice Prime
Minister and Defense Minister Irakli Alasania expressed the wish to
have more Armenian politicians in Georgia. "Georgia will only benefit
from it", he noted. Is your government ready to encourage Georgian
Armenians to more active participation in political processes?
[Ivanishvili] Georgian citizens should be more active irrespective of
their ethnic descent. We support strengthening of integration
processes. At the same time, we should overcome the current
hindrances. Historically, Georgian Armenians took part in ruling the
country and were good Georgian politicians. And now there are
politicians who are of Armenian descent and many of them are
represented in the parliament and the Georgian government. I know that
there are Armenian politicians who come from various Georgian regions
in Armenia as well.
[Mediamax] Over past several years, Armenia and Georgia have argued
over the belonging of a number of churches in Tbilisi. And while the
sides are disputing churches are being destroyed or are close to
destruction. In early January particularly, we visited Tbilisi and saw
that cracks on the facade of Norashen church have become substantially
bigger over the past years and the church may come down at any time.
What do you think of the ways of settling this issue?
[Ivanishvili] All the monuments on Georgia's territory are protected
by the state. It should be noted that over many years, Georgia has
paid special attention to the issues of preserving cultural and
architectural heritage. However, we are going to boost investments in
this area - both state and off-budget ones. We should not argue but
work over preserving our cultural heritage which is a shared spiritual
and economic resource.
[Mediamax] Though it's only 5-hour drive from Yerevan to Tbilisi,
citizens of the two countries, especially young people, don't know
about each other much. Such a situation provides a fertile ground for
strengthening mutual fears and stereotypes and creating new myths.
What do you think the Armenian and Georgian politicians may do to
boost ties between common people?
[Ivanishvili] I fully share your standpoint. I think first of all, we
should boost development of youth tourism. Our university community
has a great role in this process. This area should be paid much
attention to and relevant ministries should create a new vision of
development of cooperation between our citizens. At the same time, I
don't think we should limit ourselves to the age categories. We should
demonstrate special care toward the elderly, pensioners and create
conditions for development of regional tourism.