Tweet
Well, it's good to maintain solid relations with Georgia, as we are economically dependent on them. Without the Georgia corridor, our situation would be very sad. You can whatever you want about Saakashvili, but since the revolution in 2003 he has enacted many positive reforms in Georgia, notably cracking down on corruption.
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow correspondent
The weekend visit of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to Yerevan was practically not covered by the Georgian press, and while it was called a working visit, one can hardly speak about its “working” results.
The impression was that the Georgian leader had come to tell his Armenian counterpart about the benefits of the English language as well as hear some flattering words addressed to Georgia.
“It wasn’t today that Armenian-Georgian friendship was born, nor will it end today, but everyone should give it a new breath in order to hand this legacy to future generations,” said Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Saturday at a ceremony of awarding winners of the first Armenian-Georgian school Olympiad attended by Saakashvili. Urging students to study well, the Armenian president first cited the example of great German physicist Max Planck, the founder of the quantum theory, and then of Saakashvili: “Let me give you an example of the Georgian president, who became a doctor of sciences at age 28. When he was 36 years old, he became president of Georgia. These examples are intended to prove that when people set themselves aims and fully dedicate themselves to achieving them, then success is guaranteed.” For journalists it remained a mystery why Saakashvili paid the visit. It is noteworthy that Saakashvili came to Yerevan immediately after a trip to the United States where he met U.S. President Barack Obama. Analysts suggest that the Georgian president could, following the trip to Washington, speak with Sargsyan on a new regional structure of the South Caucasus in which Moscow’s role would be diminished. And that was why political observers here speculate that Saakashvili used the visit to suggest that Armenia should, like Georgia, make a move (unofficially) to replace Russian with English as Armenia’s second language (thereby opening direct links of communication with the West that bypasses any language handicap.) Last September, speaking at the UN General Assembly, the Georgian president announced “a “new vision for creating the concept of a free, stable and united Caucasus.” He then said that after the “full-scale invasion of Russia” Georgia was returning as a laboratory of political liberal-democratic reforms and social change.” The attitude in Armenia towards Georgia has undergone a considerable change in the past couple of years. While earlier the information sphere preferred following the Russian propaganda and portraying Georgia as an enemy and Saakashvili as a menace, now President Sargsyan has acknowledged that Armenia is trying to borrow experience from Georgia in terms of the model of public administration, rule of law and in improving the business climate. Georgia’s policy is aimed not only at domestic reforms, but also at solutions to certain problems with Armenia. In any case, voices that Georgia is hostile to its Armenian-populated province of Javakh became less convincing after a modern highway connecting Javakhk not only with capital Tbilisi, but also with Armenia had been constructed. And Armenian investments began to flow to Georgia after the liberalization of the Georgian economy; and Georgia encourages these investments in every way, such as by creating free economic zones, granting tax privileges. But there are still problems between Armenia and Georgia – primarily concerning Armenian churches in Georgia. Everyone expects this issue to be addressed during a visit of the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II to Georgia, but such a visit has already been postponed several times. It is not known whether this issue was discussed during Saakashvili’s latest visit to Yerevan, or whether talk turned to Azerbaijan’s intention to buy the section of the Georgian gas pipeline connecting Russia with Armenia. (Georgian Prime Minister Niko Gilauri said that the Georgian government did not plan to sell the section of the North-South gas main, but Azerbaijan did not abandon its intention.) The weekend meeting rather indistinctly concluded that Armenia and Georgia should “work for the benefit and prosperity of the two states.” The presidents visited the physico-mathematical school in Yerevan and attended the closing ceremony for the Armenian-Georgian Olympiad in physics, mathematics and computer science. Saakashvili stated that the future of Armenia and Georgia is in intellect, and noted that in this respect, they [Georgians] have something to learn in Armenia. Saakashvili also promised to establish 10 presidential stipends for Armenian students to study at Georgian universities. The Georgian leader stressed that Armenian-Georgian friendship should become an example for other nations of the world. The two leaders agreed that in the near future border crossings would become simpler, more transparent and open. Vehicles will be able to move from one country to the other almost without stopping. Armenia was apparently interested more in political issues. “Long live secure Armenia, long live secure Georgia,” stated Sargsyan, stressing that the two neighboring countries have never warred against each other.
ArmeniaNow correspondent
The weekend visit of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to Yerevan was practically not covered by the Georgian press, and while it was called a working visit, one can hardly speak about its “working” results.
The impression was that the Georgian leader had come to tell his Armenian counterpart about the benefits of the English language as well as hear some flattering words addressed to Georgia.
“It wasn’t today that Armenian-Georgian friendship was born, nor will it end today, but everyone should give it a new breath in order to hand this legacy to future generations,” said Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Saturday at a ceremony of awarding winners of the first Armenian-Georgian school Olympiad attended by Saakashvili. Urging students to study well, the Armenian president first cited the example of great German physicist Max Planck, the founder of the quantum theory, and then of Saakashvili: “Let me give you an example of the Georgian president, who became a doctor of sciences at age 28. When he was 36 years old, he became president of Georgia. These examples are intended to prove that when people set themselves aims and fully dedicate themselves to achieving them, then success is guaranteed.” For journalists it remained a mystery why Saakashvili paid the visit. It is noteworthy that Saakashvili came to Yerevan immediately after a trip to the United States where he met U.S. President Barack Obama. Analysts suggest that the Georgian president could, following the trip to Washington, speak with Sargsyan on a new regional structure of the South Caucasus in which Moscow’s role would be diminished. And that was why political observers here speculate that Saakashvili used the visit to suggest that Armenia should, like Georgia, make a move (unofficially) to replace Russian with English as Armenia’s second language (thereby opening direct links of communication with the West that bypasses any language handicap.) Last September, speaking at the UN General Assembly, the Georgian president announced “a “new vision for creating the concept of a free, stable and united Caucasus.” He then said that after the “full-scale invasion of Russia” Georgia was returning as a laboratory of political liberal-democratic reforms and social change.” The attitude in Armenia towards Georgia has undergone a considerable change in the past couple of years. While earlier the information sphere preferred following the Russian propaganda and portraying Georgia as an enemy and Saakashvili as a menace, now President Sargsyan has acknowledged that Armenia is trying to borrow experience from Georgia in terms of the model of public administration, rule of law and in improving the business climate. Georgia’s policy is aimed not only at domestic reforms, but also at solutions to certain problems with Armenia. In any case, voices that Georgia is hostile to its Armenian-populated province of Javakh became less convincing after a modern highway connecting Javakhk not only with capital Tbilisi, but also with Armenia had been constructed. And Armenian investments began to flow to Georgia after the liberalization of the Georgian economy; and Georgia encourages these investments in every way, such as by creating free economic zones, granting tax privileges. But there are still problems between Armenia and Georgia – primarily concerning Armenian churches in Georgia. Everyone expects this issue to be addressed during a visit of the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II to Georgia, but such a visit has already been postponed several times. It is not known whether this issue was discussed during Saakashvili’s latest visit to Yerevan, or whether talk turned to Azerbaijan’s intention to buy the section of the Georgian gas pipeline connecting Russia with Armenia. (Georgian Prime Minister Niko Gilauri said that the Georgian government did not plan to sell the section of the North-South gas main, but Azerbaijan did not abandon its intention.) The weekend meeting rather indistinctly concluded that Armenia and Georgia should “work for the benefit and prosperity of the two states.” The presidents visited the physico-mathematical school in Yerevan and attended the closing ceremony for the Armenian-Georgian Olympiad in physics, mathematics and computer science. Saakashvili stated that the future of Armenia and Georgia is in intellect, and noted that in this respect, they [Georgians] have something to learn in Armenia. Saakashvili also promised to establish 10 presidential stipends for Armenian students to study at Georgian universities. The Georgian leader stressed that Armenian-Georgian friendship should become an example for other nations of the world. The two leaders agreed that in the near future border crossings would become simpler, more transparent and open. Vehicles will be able to move from one country to the other almost without stopping. Armenia was apparently interested more in political issues. “Long live secure Armenia, long live secure Georgia,” stated Sargsyan, stressing that the two neighboring countries have never warred against each other.
Comment