Leaders Pledge To Preserve Friendship Between Georgia, Armenia

LEADERS PLEDGE TO PRESERVE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN GEORGIA, ARMENIA

Armenian Second TV Channel
June 25 2009

[Presenter] The Georgian president [Mikheil Saakashvili] continued
and finished his official visit to our country today.

But prior to that official dinner was given in honour of the Georgian
president yesterday [24 June]. Speaking before the dinner, Mikheil
Saakashvili said that he would become the most radical Armenian,
if one tried to drive a wedge between the two peoples [Armenians
and Georgians].

[President Serzh Sargsyan, addressing Saakashvili at the dinner in
Russian with overlaid translation into Armenian] I am happy to welcome
my Georgian counterpart in our country. We should be guided by the
necessity in our relations, so that we leave the best traditions of
friendly and good-neighbourly relations and friendship to the next
generations. We have no other way. I strongly believe that our economic
ties underlie long-term and strong cooperation. We have great unused
capacity and we hope that we will increase the quality of economic
relations. We will take advantage of the [EU] Eastern Partnership
programme, using its positive impact for the well-being of our region.

[Saakashvili, speaking at the dinner with overlaid translation into
Armenian] I welcome my dear friend, President Sargsyan, and the
guests. I would like to repeat that the wording official relations is
not for us. There are no other painters but Armenians, who can paint
[Georgia’s capital Tbilisi] in the best way, and works of an Armenian
artist decorate my office. Our fates are indispensable and when I
was asked to characterize Armenia in one word, I said – a wonderful
country and marvellous people. When I was among the opposition, a
few figures tried to break Armenian-Georgian traditionally friendly
relations, I answered and I say today that I will become the most
radical Armenian if anyone tries to drive a wedge between our two
peoples. I am often asked whether I am an Armenian, I am saying –
it would be great honour for me to be an Armenian.