Saakashvili: Tbilisi Ready for Reopening Border Crossing with Russia

President Saakashvili said that Georgia was ready “to immediately reopen” Zemo Larsi border crossing point, as soon as Russia reopened it.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sargsyan, in Yerevan Saakashvili said, that Georgia was ready to launch talks with Russia with mediation of Switzerland, or to reopen the border crossing point “automatically” without any talks if Russia reopened it.

The Armenian President said at the same news conference that reopening of Zemo Larsi border crossing point between Russia and Georgia – now the shortest available land route for Armenia to reach Russia – was “an extremely important matter for us.”

“Especially now that we are about to start selling agricultural products,” RFE/RL Armenian service reported quoting Sargsyan.

He also said that Yerevan was “deeply interested” in normalization of relations between Georgia and Russia.

“We are deepening our relations with both Russia and Georgia. We are doing that openly, without hesitation, without a shroud of secrecy. And if our good relations with both Russia and Georgia can somehow help to normalize Russian-Georgian relations, we will only be happy,” the Armenian President said.

“There are few nations in the world, which can boast with having such longstanding friendly relations, like Armenians and Georgians,” Yerevan-based news agency, Novosti Armenia, reported, quoting Sargsyan. “Armenia is interested in having peaceful, stable and prosperous neighbor.”

He welcomed the Georgian authorities’ efforts “to ease the socioeconomic situation, improve infrastructure and create jobs in Javakheti” – a region in southern Georgia, populated predominantly by ethnic Armenians.

“We, for out part, are ready to assist in that process,” the Armenian President added.

During the visit, President Saakashvili was awarded with Medal of Honor, the highest Armenian state award set for foreign dignitaries. A statement by his office cited Saakashvili’s contribution to “strengthening the centuries-old Georgian-Armenian friendship,” RFE/RL Armenian service reported.

On June 25, President Saakashvili met with Armenian Prime Minister, Tigran Sargsyan, who earlier this month complained about Georgia’s high transit fees for cargo shipped to and from Armenia through Georgia’s Black Sea ports of Poti and Batumi.

Lasha Zhvania, the Georgian economy minister, told Georgian journalists in Yerevan that construction of a road linking Armenia with Georgia’s Black Sea coast town of Batumi was also part of discussions during the talks with the Armenian authorities.

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