We want Tbilisi to become venue for signing great peace agreement  between Yerevan and Baku - Georgian MP

ArmInfo.Georgia is willing to assume the role of regional leader, which is the reason for its  efforts toward Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization, Nikoloz Samkharadze, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Parliament of Georgia, said in an interview with the First Channel of Georgia. 

He also commented on the prospects for Georgia's participation in the  "3+3" regional platform for the South Caucasus: "As for the so-called  "3+3" format, here we have a very clear position: until the occupied  territories of Georgia are de-occupied by Russia, and the Russian  Federation does not recognize the territorial integrity of Georgia,  we will not participate in this format," said the Georgian  politician.

However, he continued, this does not mean that Tbilisi will not  develop bilateral relations with Turkey and will not try to establish  a format for trilateral Georgia-Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

"Of course, it is important for us to create an atmosphere in the  Caucasus that will promote both political and economic cooperation.  When one country in this so-called format grossly violates the  territorial integrity of our country and occupies part of our  country, participation in this format makes no sense," - said  Samkharadze.

According to him, after the "3+3" meeting in Tehran, a very  interesting communiqu‚ was published, where in the first paragraph it  is written that countries recognize the principles of international  law of territorial integrity and inviolability of borders.

When asked by the presenter whether this can be considered as a  possibility and whether Russia, participating in this format, agrees  with the fact that there are only three states in the South Caucasus,  Samkharadze noted that the "3+3" format will not be useful for "the  de-occupation of our territories, because as soon as they start  talking about it in a format, this conversation will remain there and  Russia will use it for its propaganda purposes."

"We have the Geneva format, and we see very well how Russia behaves  in the Geneva format. For 15 years, it blocked all decisions that  could advance the conflict resolution process. Therefore, I have no  illusions that in any other format Russia will behave differently.  Accordingly, the "3+3" format is unacceptable for us precisely  because of Russia, but this does not mean that we are stopping the  internal Caucasian processes. On the contrary, we want Tbilisi to  become the place where the great peace treaty will be signed," - said  Samkharadze.

As Samkharadze noted, apart from the Geneva format, there is no  format for communication with Russia.

It should be noted that on October 23, the second meeting of the  regional "3+3" platform took place in Tehran. It was held at the  level of foreign ministers of 5 countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan,  Russia, Iran and Turkey. Georgia again did not take part in the work  of the platform. The parties agreed to hold the next meeting within  this platform in the first half of 2024 in Turkey.

The first meeting took place on December 10, 2021 in Moscow,  co-chaired by the Deputy Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation,  Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and the Director General of the Iranian  Foreign Ministry. The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that  representatives of Georgia, who were also invited, refrained from  participating in the meeting, but the doors are always open for them.