YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–When receiving the Armenian-Georgian interparliamentary commission headed by the vice-speaker of the Georgian Parliament–Vakhtang Kolbaya–Armenia’s Prime Minister Armen Darbinian voiced confidence that Armenian-Georgian relations are in improving rapidly. In that regard–the sides stressed the importance of the tariff policy agreemen’s reached as a result of the visit of the minister of transport of Georgia to Armenia.
Presenting the goals of the visit and the work done by the delegation–Kolbaya added that Armenian-Georgian relations should be based more in business transactions–in order to have mutual economic benefits. For that purpose–a working group will be set up to promote the growth of trade and economic relations between the two countries.
Speaking of further integration between the two countries–Armen Darbinian emphasized that the key to the solution of this problem is to pursue a single policy in developing tax policy and regional cooperation programs.
Also discussed were issues of bilateral cooperation in the sphere of transport and energy.
The three-day visit of the interparliamentary commission of the Georgian Parliament to Armenia ended with the signing of a number of working documen’s with the interparliamentary commission of the National Assembly of Armenia.
The vice-speakers of the parliamen’s of Armenia and Georgia–the co-chairmen of the interparliamentary commission Youri Bakhshian and Vakhtang Kolbaya signed several major documen’s–including the charter of the joint commission–the working schedule for 1998 and the agenda for the next session.
After the signing ceremony–Youri Bakhshian pointed out that this step would become a basis for the further growth of cooperation. Any cooperation should have a legal basis–and the task of the commission’s working groups today is–above all–to prepare documen’s for the systematization of legislative action.
On Monday the delegation also visited the Holy See of Etchmiadzin where it was received by Archbishop Nerses Pozapalian. Discussion focused on the friendship between the two churches and nations–the strengthening and dissemination of Christianity in the Caucasus.