Alen Simonyan: high level of Armenian-Georgian relations is one of important factors for ensuring security in South Caucasus

ArmInfo. A delegation of  the Parliament of Georgia headed by Speaker Shalva Papuashvili  arrived in Armenia on a working visit.

The meeting with representatives of the Armenian side began in  Dilijan in a narrow format, after which it continued in an expanded  format.

Alen Simonyan congratulated his Georgian partners on receiving EU  candidate status and noted that this is a significant event for the  entire region.

He noted that deepening relations with Georgia is of strategic  importance for Armenia and expressed hope that it will be possible to  establish a strategic partnership between the countries in the near  future.

Regarding economically effective cooperation, Alen Simonyan attached  importance to the rapid development of economic ties and the growth  of trade turnover between Georgia and Armenia.

In this context, the head of Armenian Parliament spoke about the  problems arising for various reasons at the Upper Lars checkpoint,  and highly appreciated the efforts of the Georgian side aimed at  facilitating transit. The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, in  turn, assured that quite positive processes have been taking place in  this direction recently.

Alen Simonyan also touched upon issues of regional security and  challenges, confirming that Armenia continues to adhere to the agenda  of establishing peace and stability in the region. In this vein, he  presented the government's Crossroads of Peace initiative to his  Georgian counterpart, inviting Georgia to join the project.

"The high level of relations between Armenia and Georgia is one of  the important factors in ensuring security in the South Caucasus. We  highly appreciate Georgia's interest and efforts in establishing  peace and stability in the region," he said.

During the meeting, the parties discussed possible new formats for  strengthening cooperation between parliamentary commissions and  apparatuses, and exchanged views on the immediate return home of  Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

Touching upon regional problems, Papuashvili emphasized that Georgia  supports the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and  Azerbaijan, which can become a guarantee of long-term stability and  development in the region.