Connectivity important guarantee of well-being of citizens .of  Armenia and Georgia - Ararat Mirzoyan 

ArmInfo.  Dear Madam Minister, dear Maka, dear colleagues,

I am very happy to return to Tbilisi once again, this time on an  official visit, and I would like to express my gratitude for the  traditional warm welcome.

Dear colleagues,

We can note that, as my esteemed colleague mentioned, this year has  also been full of bilateral contacts between our countries, active  political dialogue, and regular visits at the highest level. Last  month, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia was in Tbilisi  to participate in the "Silk Road" international conference. Soon, the  President of the Republic of Armenia will visit Georgia.

There are direct contacts and cooperation between our various  ministries. Our bilateral agenda is multi-layered, encompassing  active cooperation in all areas, from economy to security, from  education and culture to tourism and people-to-people contacts,  exchanges and visits. 

Nevertheless, not to repeat the sectors and events listed by my  colleague, I will focus on one direction, which is gaining greater  importance in current dynamics and tendencies, and thus requires more  attention. That is connectivity. And when I say connectivity, I mean  both macro and micro levels: at the macro level - the launch of  communications in the region, economic and trade ties between the two  countries, and at the micro level - the connectivity between peoples,  individuals in trade, business, jobs, tourism, and other areas. This  connectivity is truly more in demand than ever and serves as an  important guarantee of the well-being of our citizens.

In terms of macro-level connectivity, it is necessary, of course, to  mention the potential of each of our countries and the region of the  South Caucasus as a whole, to become a bridge, through mutually  beneficial cooperation, for a broader geography, between other  regions that are greatly interested in this connectivity. In this  context, the "Crossroads of Peace" project, this initiative of the  Government of the Republic of Armenia, which the Prime Minister of  Armenia presented for the first time right here in Tbilisi, is not  new. But what is new here is the fact of the establishment of peace:  peace that was established between Armenia and Azerbaijan through  agreements reached in Washington, DC, on August 8 with the  involvement of the President of the United States. We are convinced  that with the establishment of this peace, with the continuous  strengthening of peace and sovereignty, our region can truly  transform into a crossroads, a hub of communications.

The unblocking of infrastructures between Armenia and Azerbaijan,  including the implementation of the "Trump Route for International  Peace and Prosperity" project on the territory of Armenia within the  framework of the principles of territorial integrity, inviolability  of borders, sovereignty, and jurisdiction, will ensure mutual  benefits, and what is most important - peace rather than conflict  will be beneficial for the countries of the region and, consequently,  it will ensure the stability.

This unblocking will create unimpeded connectivity between all the  countries of the South Caucasus and the neighboring regions,  including, for example, providing Georgia with a railway connection  to the Persian Gulf. The opening of the Gyumri-Kars railway on the  Armenia-Turkiye border can also, of course, have significant  importance in this regard, together with the Georgian railways  becoming an important part of the Europe-Central Asia connectivity  chain.

This is Armenia's vision and the basis for the practical steps we  undertake.

Dear colleagues,

Naturally, the traditional Armenian-Georgian friendship, which has  now found its expression in the document of our strategic  partnership, can both contribute to and benefit from these  developments.

Through strategic partnership, we must continuously contribute to the  expansion and strengthening of connectivity and, conversely, not  allow any obstacles on that path. Today, I discussed this vision and  approach with my counterpart, and I believe there is a mutually  beneficial understanding. For sure, we are aware of the issues raised  by business circles, and we have mutual political understanding in  the direction of addressing them.

The strong bond between our two peoples is also expressed through  culture: this June, Days of Georgian Culture were held in Yerevan,  and preparatory work is currently underway for the Days of Armenian  Culture in Georgia.

I must note with satisfaction, that, parallel to cooperation in  various sectoral directions, the cooperation established between the  Ministries of Foreign Affairs is very intensive. Consultations and  contacts are regular. The last session of official consultations took  place in August in Yerevan.

Dear attendees,

With my colleague, we exchanged views on various international  topics.

We also discussed issues of cooperation on multilateral platforms -  in executive and legislative directions.  Next spring, Armenia will  host the European Political Community summit, and we will be  expecting the Georgian side in Yerevan.

In conclusion, I would like once again to express my gratitude, dear  Minister Botchorishvili, for today's discussions and for the  readiness to consistently advance the strategic, practical  connectivity between Armenia and Georgia.