Georgia Doesn’t Want to Turn Issues with Armenia into Problems

“It’s not a big secret, we’re friends, close friends with [Armenian Foreign Minister] Edward [Nalbandian], we have been knowing each other since being students,” said Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigol Vashadze, while at a joint press conference with Nalbandian in Yerevan today. Though Vashadze spoke in Russian during his last visit to Yerevan, today, he was speaking in English.

Continuing, he said, “I would say that thanks to efforts of the presidents of our two countries, with small contribution from the ministers, Georgian-Armenian relations have not been better than they are today.

“As close friends and neighboring countries we will always have some issues to discuss, but we are trying not to transform those issues into problems. I should say that we are finding understanding regarding each and every matter. We have successes, yes, our trade increased by 53% [in the first 9 months of 2010]; it is quite an achievement for 2010, when the world is still in the midst of the crisis. 

“But $114 million of turnover is a shameful figure for Armenia and Georgia, and we shall seriously work on increasing that figure. Otherwise, I would like to confirm what my dear friend and colleague said, we are working very hard and we understand the full responsibility of our ministries to improve Georgian-Armenian relationships to the point which our nations do deserve, thank you.”