Tweet
GEORGIA'S IVANISHVILI SAYS 'BALL IN MY COURT' ON JAVAKHK
http://asbarez.com/107729/georgia%E2%80%99s-ivanishvili-says-%E2%80%98ball-in-my-court%E2%80%99-on-javakhk/
Thursday, January 17th, 2013
President Sarkisian greets Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili
YEREVAN-Georgia's Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is on an
official visit to Armenia, said the "ball is now in my court," to
fulfill campaign promises regarding the improvement of conditions for
the Armenian population of Javakhk, reported Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty's Armenian Service on Thursday.
Speaking to RFE/RL's Armenian service, Ivanishvili pledged to do his
best to improve the situation in Georgia's Javakhki region mainly
populated by Armenians. Most of them voted for his Georgian Dream
alliance in the October elections.
"The Georgian opposition has never received so many ethnic Armenian
votes before," said Ivanishvili. "I want to again thank [Javakhk
Armenians.] I gave them many promises. I won't list those promises
now. But I guarantee that the ball is now in my court."
During his first visit to Armenia since becoming Georgia's prime
minister Ivanishvili also pledged to seek the restoration of Georgia's
railway communication with Russia, vital for Armenia, and help make
Georgian-Armenian relations "ideal" during his first official visit
to Yerevan on Thursday.
He also announced an ambitious initiative to end a long-running
dispute between the government-backed Armenian and Georgian churches
after holding talks with President Serzh Sarkisian and Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan.
"I think Armenian-Georgian relations can today be considered normal
and even good," Ivanishvili told RFE/RL's Armenian service in an
exclusive interview. "We spoke about their future with your president
and prime minister. I think we agreed that our centuries-old relations
must become ideal and exemplary.
"This is what I personally and our new government are aiming for,
and I felt the same desire by the Armenian government."
Ivanishvili, who swept to power after defeating Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili's party in last October's parliamentary elections,
was particularly satisfied with his "very warm" meeting with Tigran
Sargsyan. "We spoke in such an atmosphere as if we have known each
other since childhood," he told a joint news conference with his
Armenian counterpart.
Ivanishvili spoke of "interesting decisions" adopted by them. "There
are a few remaining issues that need further discussion, but I am
confident that we will agree on them as well," he said.
One of the key issues on the agenda was Ivanishvili's post-election
calls for the reopening of the railway linking Georgia to Russia via
its breakaway region of Abkhazia. The railway, which used to serve
as a lifeline road for landlocked Armenia, has been closed since the
outbreak of a bloody war in Abkhazia in 1992. Successive Armenian
governments have for years held out hope for its re-launch.
"I think that [the railway] will definitely be opened," Ivanishvili
told RFE/RL's Armenian service later in the day. "We have discussed
this issue today for two or three times. On our side, there is full
readiness [to have it reopened.]"
"I feel that Russia is showing understanding for this issue. There
are positive signals from our Abkhaz brothers," he said.
Ivanishvili explained that renewed rail communication between
Georgia and Russia would be in line with his government's strategy of
facilitating the eventual resolution of the conflicts over Abkhazia
and South Ossetia through confidence-building measures.
The billionaire businessman-turned-politician, who made his huge
fortune in Russia in the 1990s, has advocated a softer Georgian line
on Moscow ever since entering the political arena in late 2011.
Georgia and Russia severed diplomatic relations after fighting a
brief but bitter war in 2008.
Prime Minister Sargsyan said he reaffirmed Yerevan's strong interest in
the reopening of the Abkhaz railway during the talks with his Georgian
counterpart. "We stressed that we will make every effort to have the
railway operate efficiently," he told reporters. "We are interested
in a quick solution to that issue and will adopt a proactive stance
in its settlement."
Most of the freight shipments to and from Armenia are currently
carried out through the Georgian Black Sea ports of Batumi and Poti.
The Russian-Georgian rail link would make some of those deliveries
cheaper and thus shore up the struggling Armenian economy.
According to Ivanishvili, Sarkisian also called for the creation of
a Georgian-Armenian "common market." He said he likes idea.
In what was described as a further step towards bilateral economic
integration, the two premiers presided over the signing of a
Georgian-Armenian agreement on joint customs administration at the
border between the two neighboring states. Yerevan had tentatively
agreed on the joint use of the border checkpoints with Georgia's
previous cabinet controlled by Saakashvili.
Ivanishvili also discussed in Yerevan the issue of worship sites
claimed by the Armenian Apostolic and Georgian Orthodox Churches. The
unresolved dispute centers on ownership of several formerly Armenian
churches in Tbilisi as well as abandoned medieval monasteries in
Armenia's Lori province bordering Georgia. The supreme heads of the
two churches failed to reach any agreements during almost one week
of negotiations held in June 2011.
Ivanishvili said he proposed that his private charity finance the
renovation of all disputed churches "in both countries" pending a
joint Georgian-Armenian study of their origin. "We could also do
archaeological work there, which I'm also ready to finance through
my fund," he said.
"I think this initiative was received well by the [Armenian] president
and the prime minister," added Ivanishvili. "I think that we will set
up a bilateral commission in a matter of days, start the process of
restoration of these monuments and clarify their origin."
Ivanishvili discussed the matter at a separate meeting with Catholicos
Karekin II at the Etchmiadzin headquarters of the Armenian Church. The
Catholicos' office said the Armenian pontiff expressed hope for its
"proper resolution."
http://asbarez.com/107729/georgia%E2%80%99s-ivanishvili-says-%E2%80%98ball-in-my-court%E2%80%99-on-javakhk/
Thursday, January 17th, 2013
President Sarkisian greets Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili
YEREVAN-Georgia's Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is on an
official visit to Armenia, said the "ball is now in my court," to
fulfill campaign promises regarding the improvement of conditions for
the Armenian population of Javakhk, reported Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty's Armenian Service on Thursday.
Speaking to RFE/RL's Armenian service, Ivanishvili pledged to do his
best to improve the situation in Georgia's Javakhki region mainly
populated by Armenians. Most of them voted for his Georgian Dream
alliance in the October elections.
"The Georgian opposition has never received so many ethnic Armenian
votes before," said Ivanishvili. "I want to again thank [Javakhk
Armenians.] I gave them many promises. I won't list those promises
now. But I guarantee that the ball is now in my court."
During his first visit to Armenia since becoming Georgia's prime
minister Ivanishvili also pledged to seek the restoration of Georgia's
railway communication with Russia, vital for Armenia, and help make
Georgian-Armenian relations "ideal" during his first official visit
to Yerevan on Thursday.
He also announced an ambitious initiative to end a long-running
dispute between the government-backed Armenian and Georgian churches
after holding talks with President Serzh Sarkisian and Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan.
"I think Armenian-Georgian relations can today be considered normal
and even good," Ivanishvili told RFE/RL's Armenian service in an
exclusive interview. "We spoke about their future with your president
and prime minister. I think we agreed that our centuries-old relations
must become ideal and exemplary.
"This is what I personally and our new government are aiming for,
and I felt the same desire by the Armenian government."
Ivanishvili, who swept to power after defeating Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili's party in last October's parliamentary elections,
was particularly satisfied with his "very warm" meeting with Tigran
Sargsyan. "We spoke in such an atmosphere as if we have known each
other since childhood," he told a joint news conference with his
Armenian counterpart.
Ivanishvili spoke of "interesting decisions" adopted by them. "There
are a few remaining issues that need further discussion, but I am
confident that we will agree on them as well," he said.
One of the key issues on the agenda was Ivanishvili's post-election
calls for the reopening of the railway linking Georgia to Russia via
its breakaway region of Abkhazia. The railway, which used to serve
as a lifeline road for landlocked Armenia, has been closed since the
outbreak of a bloody war in Abkhazia in 1992. Successive Armenian
governments have for years held out hope for its re-launch.
"I think that [the railway] will definitely be opened," Ivanishvili
told RFE/RL's Armenian service later in the day. "We have discussed
this issue today for two or three times. On our side, there is full
readiness [to have it reopened.]"
"I feel that Russia is showing understanding for this issue. There
are positive signals from our Abkhaz brothers," he said.
Ivanishvili explained that renewed rail communication between
Georgia and Russia would be in line with his government's strategy of
facilitating the eventual resolution of the conflicts over Abkhazia
and South Ossetia through confidence-building measures.
The billionaire businessman-turned-politician, who made his huge
fortune in Russia in the 1990s, has advocated a softer Georgian line
on Moscow ever since entering the political arena in late 2011.
Georgia and Russia severed diplomatic relations after fighting a
brief but bitter war in 2008.
Prime Minister Sargsyan said he reaffirmed Yerevan's strong interest in
the reopening of the Abkhaz railway during the talks with his Georgian
counterpart. "We stressed that we will make every effort to have the
railway operate efficiently," he told reporters. "We are interested
in a quick solution to that issue and will adopt a proactive stance
in its settlement."
Most of the freight shipments to and from Armenia are currently
carried out through the Georgian Black Sea ports of Batumi and Poti.
The Russian-Georgian rail link would make some of those deliveries
cheaper and thus shore up the struggling Armenian economy.
According to Ivanishvili, Sarkisian also called for the creation of
a Georgian-Armenian "common market." He said he likes idea.
In what was described as a further step towards bilateral economic
integration, the two premiers presided over the signing of a
Georgian-Armenian agreement on joint customs administration at the
border between the two neighboring states. Yerevan had tentatively
agreed on the joint use of the border checkpoints with Georgia's
previous cabinet controlled by Saakashvili.
Ivanishvili also discussed in Yerevan the issue of worship sites
claimed by the Armenian Apostolic and Georgian Orthodox Churches. The
unresolved dispute centers on ownership of several formerly Armenian
churches in Tbilisi as well as abandoned medieval monasteries in
Armenia's Lori province bordering Georgia. The supreme heads of the
two churches failed to reach any agreements during almost one week
of negotiations held in June 2011.
Ivanishvili said he proposed that his private charity finance the
renovation of all disputed churches "in both countries" pending a
joint Georgian-Armenian study of their origin. "We could also do
archaeological work there, which I'm also ready to finance through
my fund," he said.
"I think this initiative was received well by the [Armenian] president
and the prime minister," added Ivanishvili. "I think that we will set
up a bilateral commission in a matter of days, start the process of
restoration of these monuments and clarify their origin."
Ivanishvili discussed the matter at a separate meeting with Catholicos
Karekin II at the Etchmiadzin headquarters of the Armenian Church. The
Catholicos' office said the Armenian pontiff expressed hope for its
"proper resolution."