Future Of Armenia-Georgia Relations In Context Of Membership In Diff

FUTURE OF ARMENIA-GEORGIA RELATIONS IN CONTEXT OF MEMBERSHIP IN DIFFERENT STRUCTURES

15:32 * 17.10.14

Armenia and Georgia are well aware of the need for peaceful
co-existence despite their being members of different politico-military
alliances, Tevan Poghosyan, a member of the Standing Committee on
Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia,
told Tert.am.

“I think it is much more important for Armenia and Georgia than any
other policy,” he said.

According to Mr Poghosyan, Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic
Union cannot be an obstacle to the transportation of cargoes through
Georgia, which is moving toward EU association.

“Of course, life must go on and I am sure that Armenia and
Georgia will reach an agreement because Georgia will not provoke
confrontation. Rather, it will prefer cooperation.”

“Georgia will not change the market value of cargo transportation.

Trade takes place when the goods enter the market. But since transit
cargoes are not cleared, but are services, I do not think any price
changes should be expected,” Mr Poghosyan said.

At the NATO-held Rose-Roth seminar, their contacts with their Georgian
partners showed that Armenia and Georgia, as strategic neighbors,
would never take advantage of the collective security problems.

“We have two different security tasks, and will do our best to mutually
raise the security level,” Mr Poghosyan said.

Armenia has very good relations with NATO and is the only Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member-state that is involved in
all the NATO peacemaking programs.

“I am sure that even if Georgia joins NATO, it will strengthen
Armenia’s security system because a NATO member is supposed to meet
certain standards – being a democratic and predictable country –
which can never pose a threat to Armenia,” he said.

As to the need for official agreements between Armenia and Georgia
despite their friendly relations, the MP said that Armenia and
Georgia are cooperating in field of defense, and the Armenian and
Georgian ministers of defense hold regular meetings, the two countries
participate in NATO military exercises.

Boris Navasardian, Country Facilitator, Armenian National Platform,
Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, does not share this opinion.

He views the issue in the context of Armenia’s accession to the EEU
and Georgia’s integration into the EU.

“Two different economic communities are being formed, and the
Armenian-Georgian border will come under tighter control, with free
transportation of goods to become more difficult. It will affect the
bilateral trade and transit of goods through Georgia,” he said.

William Lahue, Head of the NATO Liaison Office Georgia/NATO Liaison
Officer South Caucasus Region, rules out any problems for Armenia if
Georgia joins NATO.

Each NATO member-state in independent in determining its foreign
policy and relations with the states outside the Alliance, Mr Lahue
told Tert.am

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress