Edward Nalbandyan: There are no issues between Armenia and Georgia which will be impossible to solve through negotiations

There are no issues between Armenia and Georgia which will be impossible to solve through negotiations, meetings, dialogue, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said today at a joint press conference with his Georgian counterpart Grigol Vashadze. October 3 and 4 the two foreign ministers discussed a wide-range of issues, first of all connected with bilateral relations. Edward Nalbandyan said they noted with delight that during the recent nine months the trade turnover between the two countries increased by about 50 per cent.

At a year period the volume of turnover may possibly reach 200 million USD and the 50% of dynamics, the minister said, is an important figure. More than 300 000 tourists visited Georgia.

The two ministers also discussed energy, transport issues, regional and international issues. The ministers also met few days before in New York, in July in Almaty, in June in Tbilisi. “As we have agreed, at least once in two months meetings take place between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Georgia and it is natural as we are neighbor countries and there are many issues which are being discussed and solved,” Edward Nalbandyan said.

Grigol Vashadze said that Armenian-Georgian relations have never been better as they are today. “As close friend-neighbor states we have issues to discuss, but these issues never turn to problems. We have mutual comprehension over any issue,” the Georgian minister pointed out.

As to the increase of the trade turnover, a good index has been registered in case when the world is still under the impact of the financial-economic crisis. “Realizing the degree of responsibility, we at foreign ministries are doing everything possible to improve relations between Armenia and Georgia,” Vashadze said.

Referring to the statements ascribed to him in the Azerbaijani press, which by the way has been rejected by him, connected with the prolongation of the deployment of the Russian military base in Armenia, Vashadze said that Armenia is a sovereign state and it must decide on its own what security systems are necessary for the country, and no one can do it instead.

As to the closing of Armenian schools and classes in Javakhq and educational issues, the Georgian foreign minister noted that 102 Armenian schools are involved in the state special education program like the Georgian schools of the same region. They all are computerized. The solution of educational issues is under the limelight of education ministries of the two countries. Children getting Armenian education may continue their Armenian basic education at higher educational establishments as well and then pass to intensive studying of Georgian language.

As to the creation of Georgian-Azerbaijani confederation, for it Georgia will not make Constitutional changes or create necessary institutions. The statement of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili about confederation was not an emotional call, but just a description of Georgian-Azerbaijani relations as confederative.