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ARMENIA-GEORGIA: DEFENSE CHIEF'S UNANNOUNCED VISIT TO YEREVAN LINKED TO GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
ANALYSIS | 26.09.14 | 10:12
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/57147/armenia_georgia_defense_minister_alasania_visit
Photo: www.mil.am
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania was on an unannounced visit
to Armenia on September 24-25. He met with his Armenian counterpart
Seyran Ohanyan, but the terse report about the meeting contains only
general words about the intent to "expand military cooperation and
partnership in multilateral formats".
Georgia continues to abide by its course of EU integration and NATO
membership. At the latest NATO summit early this month, Georgia was
included in the so-called 'golden list', which provides non-member
countries with the most favorable conditions of cooperation with
the Alliance. In addition, Tbilisi has strengthened its military
cooperation with Washington and there is even information about the
intention to establish a NATO or US base in Georgia.
An influential U.S.-based magazine, Foreign Policy, reported that
Georgia had allegedly invited the United States to open in its
territory an antiterrorism center that would train servicemen to
fight terrorists in Syria. Georgian officials denied the information
regarding Syria, but no one has either confirmed or denied the
possibility of the establishment of some sort of antiterrorism center
or military base in Georgia.
In Armenia, the Georgian minister's visit was linked to these events -
in the press assumptions were made that Georgia has offered Armenia
to join the anti-terrorism center. Especially that at the highest
level Yerevan has stated about the dangers of the Islamic State and
radical terrorism for the Armenian community and Armenian heritage
in the Middle East.
It is difficult to say whether Armenia would agree to such a proposal,
but one thing is clear: relations with Georgia should reach the level
of specific agreements. This applies not only to the security sphere,
in which Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey have announced the creation
of military units to protect the pipelines. It also concerns the
economic sphere and the circumstance that Armenia intends to join
the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
Yerevan has confirmed that it intends to join the Russian-led bloc
already this year, but it is still unclear how customs communications
will be implemented between Armenia and the countries of the current
Customs Union (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan). Land communication between
Armenia and its future partners will only be possible through Georgia,
and its ambassador to Armenia recently said that if Armenia joins
the EEU, Tbilisi may cancel the current free trade regime with Yerevan.
The text of the Agreement on Armenia's joining the EEU was published on
Thursday. It has no reference to the order in which the transit will be
made through Georgia. Besides, the only way that is available passes
through highlands and for almost half a year the road stays closed,
while landslides often happen there during the rest of the year. Last
summer, for instance, the road did not function for a durable period
of time because of landslides.
As it became known, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin
said during a meeting with Georgian journalists that "still during
the Soviet times there were projects for the construction of roads
and tunnels on the territory of Georgia that would lead to Russia. I
think that they can become relevant."
Special representative of Georgia's prime minister on relations with
Russia Zurab Abashidze said that the matter concerned the construction
of the tunnel in the direction of Russia on the Mljet-Larsi section.
"It is a costly international project and we intensively think about
its implementation. We will be talking about this at our upcoming
meeting with Mr. Karasin," the diplomat said.
ANALYSIS | 26.09.14 | 10:12
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/57147/armenia_georgia_defense_minister_alasania_visit
Photo: www.mil.am
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania was on an unannounced visit
to Armenia on September 24-25. He met with his Armenian counterpart
Seyran Ohanyan, but the terse report about the meeting contains only
general words about the intent to "expand military cooperation and
partnership in multilateral formats".
Georgia continues to abide by its course of EU integration and NATO
membership. At the latest NATO summit early this month, Georgia was
included in the so-called 'golden list', which provides non-member
countries with the most favorable conditions of cooperation with
the Alliance. In addition, Tbilisi has strengthened its military
cooperation with Washington and there is even information about the
intention to establish a NATO or US base in Georgia.
An influential U.S.-based magazine, Foreign Policy, reported that
Georgia had allegedly invited the United States to open in its
territory an antiterrorism center that would train servicemen to
fight terrorists in Syria. Georgian officials denied the information
regarding Syria, but no one has either confirmed or denied the
possibility of the establishment of some sort of antiterrorism center
or military base in Georgia.
In Armenia, the Georgian minister's visit was linked to these events -
in the press assumptions were made that Georgia has offered Armenia
to join the anti-terrorism center. Especially that at the highest
level Yerevan has stated about the dangers of the Islamic State and
radical terrorism for the Armenian community and Armenian heritage
in the Middle East.
It is difficult to say whether Armenia would agree to such a proposal,
but one thing is clear: relations with Georgia should reach the level
of specific agreements. This applies not only to the security sphere,
in which Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey have announced the creation
of military units to protect the pipelines. It also concerns the
economic sphere and the circumstance that Armenia intends to join
the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
Yerevan has confirmed that it intends to join the Russian-led bloc
already this year, but it is still unclear how customs communications
will be implemented between Armenia and the countries of the current
Customs Union (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan). Land communication between
Armenia and its future partners will only be possible through Georgia,
and its ambassador to Armenia recently said that if Armenia joins
the EEU, Tbilisi may cancel the current free trade regime with Yerevan.
The text of the Agreement on Armenia's joining the EEU was published on
Thursday. It has no reference to the order in which the transit will be
made through Georgia. Besides, the only way that is available passes
through highlands and for almost half a year the road stays closed,
while landslides often happen there during the rest of the year. Last
summer, for instance, the road did not function for a durable period
of time because of landslides.
As it became known, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin
said during a meeting with Georgian journalists that "still during
the Soviet times there were projects for the construction of roads
and tunnels on the territory of Georgia that would lead to Russia. I
think that they can become relevant."
Special representative of Georgia's prime minister on relations with
Russia Zurab Abashidze said that the matter concerned the construction
of the tunnel in the direction of Russia on the Mljet-Larsi section.
"It is a costly international project and we intensively think about
its implementation. We will be talking about this at our upcoming
meeting with Mr. Karasin," the diplomat said.