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Georgian Dream PM Irakli Kobakhidze Visits Armenia

On January 30, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, accompanied by a GD delegation, arrived in Armenia. As part of his visit, Kobakhidze met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan. During the meeting, both parties underscored the “strategic importance” of relations between the two countries. As part of the visit, a meeting of the Georgian-Armenian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Ministers of the two countries.

The Georgian delegation included Levan Davitashvili, GD Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development; Maka Botchorishvili, GD Minister of Foreign Affairs; Irakli Karseladze, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Davit Songulashvili, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mikheil Sarjveladze, Minister of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Protection and Levan Zhorzholiani, head of GD government administration.

Meeting with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan

According to a press release issued by GD government administration, during their face-to-face meeting, GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and his Armenian counterpart, Nikol Pashinyan, “the parties emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership between the two countries”

They also underscored the importance of high-level dialogue and close cooperation across various sectors, stating that such cooperation “contributes to the further deepening of bilateral relations.”

“Attention was paid to the current situation in the region and the progress of the peace process,” the press release said” with Irakli Kobakhidze confirming “the readiness of the Georgian government to promote dialogue and contribute to ensuring stability and peace in the region.”

The discussions addressed topics to be covered in the 14th session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation. As noted in the press release, the leaders underscored that “the next session of the Intergovernmental Economic Commission will contribute to the further expansion of trade and economic ties between the two countries and the full utilization of the existing potential in this regard.”

GD FM Botchorishvili Meeting with Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan

On January 30, GD Foreign Affairs Minister Maka Botchorishvili met with Ararat Mirzoyan, Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry press release the parties reaffirmed their “deep-rooted friendship” and emphasized the significance of the Georgia-Armenia Strategic Partnership Declaration, which has further strengthened the “exceptional ties and cooperation between the two countries, elevating them to a new level.”

During the discussions, the sides addressed economic and trade relations, as well as tourism ties “with Armenia ranking third among the top sources of visitors to Georgia.” Additionally, as part of the Georgian delegation, Botchorishvili will participate in the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, which was described as “a vital platform for fostering multidimensional cooperation and maintaining a regular dialogue.”

Following the meeting, the President Salome Zurabishvili reacted to the visit by reposting the MFA’s statement on social media and stating, “The true partnership of Georgia with Armenia is walking hand in hand on our European path. That is a common strategy without alternative, to reach peace, democracy, and prosperity for both our countries.”

Meeting of Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation of Georgia and Armenia

According to the GD government press release “the meeting, which was attended by members of the governments of the two countries, discussed the positive dynamics of the development of relations in various sectors,” with focus on “trade and economic cooperation, the use of opportunities created by free trade agreements, large transport and infrastructure projects, as well as the importance of the development of tourism, the digital economy and the transit corridor.”

During the meeting GD PM Kobakhidze stressed the “disntinctive friendship” that “binds” the two countries and the readiness of Georgia “to promote and contribute to the establishment of stability and peace in the region, which he said “is a necessary condition for the development and prosperity of our countries.” Kobakhidze noted that “Georgia and Armenia firmly support each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” He also welcomed the fact that Georgia is an attractive destination for Armenian tourists, noting that around 1 mln Armenians visit Georgia annually.

According to the same press release, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan stressed the “emphasized the successful cooperation with Georgia in various fields” and “the great potential” for further strengthening the relations. Niko Pashinyan stressed the respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said: “We have a good understanding of how important peace and stability are in the Caucasus.” He said he is confident that “2025 will be the beginning of new ambitious projects as a result of all our efforts and joint initiatives” in various fields. He added: “We can take joint steps to further simplify the delimitation-demarcation process, which will increase both passenger traffic and commodity turnover, and we will have the opportunity to improve legal and legislative relations between our countries, which will create more simplified opportunities for business transactions and operations.”

Following the Commission meeting, the sides signed the Protocol of the 14th Session of Commission.

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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)

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