Why did Sargsyan Not Accept Saakashvili’s Border-Crossing Proposal?

During his last visit to Yerevan on Jan. 22–23 of this year, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili suggested to his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan to implement a new regime of border crossing for the citizens of both countries, a source in Tbilisi told Epress.am.

Saakashvili proposed the two countries’ citizens to cross the Armenia-Georgia border with internal use ID cards. Such a system already exists between Georgia and Turkey.

However, Sargsyan refused to consider this proposal. A possible reason for this refusal could be the fact that Armenia will be introducing the use of ID cards not before the autumn of 2011. Currently Republic of Armenia citizens, unlike citizens of Georgia, use only one ID document (their passport) for both internal use and travel abroad.