Armenian PM Hovik Abrahamyan said after meeting his Georgian counterpart, Irakli Garibashvili, in Yerevan on August 21, that the two prime ministers reiterated “friendly” relations and expressed willingness to further develop bilateral ties.

PM Garibashvili, who is paying a two-day official visit to Armenia, said Tbilisi and Yerevan will “spare no efforts to further deepen” close ties between the two countries.

Consequences of Armenia’s decision to join Russian-led Customs Union and Georgia’s Association Agreement with the EU on bilateral trade were one of the key issues of discussion when Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan visited Tbilisi in June.

Armenian PM said that moving towards different economic blocs would not affect bilateral trade relations, on the contrary, he said, Armenia and Georgia can benefit from it.

Armenia’s deputy foreign minister, Shavarsh Kocharyan, told Georgian journalists in Yerevan on August 21 that regardless of foreign policy course of the two neighboring countries, bilateral trade and economic relations between Georgia and Armenian should deepen.

“So [Georgian] PM’s visit to Armenia is very important. After our country [Armenia] joins the Customs Union, some products would still be eligible for preferential treatment; final details of the list are being discussed,” the Armenian deputy foreign minister said.

Armenian PM said that modernization of border infrastructure between the two countries was also discussed.

The two PMs announced that Armenia and Georgia would jointly build a new bridge at Sadakhlo border-crossing point between the two countries.
 
PM Garibashvili noted 41.5% year-on-year increase in bilateral trade turnover between Georgia and Armenia in the first half of 2014.

“It demonstrates that trade, economic relations between our friendly countries are further developing and we will of course continue this trend,” Garibashvili said.

He said that “importance of providing peace and stability in the region” was also discussed during the meeting.

Georgian and Armenian PMs also discussed landslide in Georgia’s Dariali gorge, which damaged pipeline supplying Russian gas to Armenia via Georgia and which cut traffic on the road linking Georgia with Russia. The road is also important for Armenia as it is the only land access for this country to Russia via Georgia.

Armenian PM Abrahamyan expressed readiness to provide assistance in responding consequences of the landslide. The Georgian PM said that he expects the gas pipeline to be restored in two-three days.