CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VIII (2) ContEurVIII2 | Page 43

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VIII (2)
the Georgian ports, Batumi and Poti. In November 2018, the acting
deputy PM of Armenia, Tigran Avinyan announced that the issue of
prices for using Georgian ports is on the Armenian-Georgian negotiation
table. 97 However, no tangible results have been achieved on this front as
of yet.
The Border Demarcation
In June 2017, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh
Kocharyan met with his Georgian counterpart at the time, Davit Dondua,
where they had a consultation on a wide range of bilateral questions
including the border demarcation problem. The sides agreed on
continuing the discussions regarding this issue. 98 During her first official
visit to Armenia in March 2019, Salome Zurabishvili urged at the joint
press conference with Armenian President Armen Sargsyan that “it is
time to demarcate the border.” She also highlighted that “it is
unacceptable to delay that process between the two friendly nations,” as
well as that the regulation of the contract is already agreed upon. 99 However,
there is no official record regarding what is currently in progress.
Analysis
Today, the biggest challenge that may affect Armenia’s relations
with its northern neighbor is the increasing Turkish-Azerbaijani presence
in Georgia. According to a researcher fromthe National Academy of
Sciences of Armenia and an expert on Armenian-Georgian relations who
preferred to stay anonymous, Turkey and Azerbaijan have historically
been seeking a land route that will connect these two fraternal countries.
However, as the Armenian-populated Javakhk obstructs this link, the
Turk-Azerbaijani “alliance” has adopted a policy to “absorb” Javakhk by

97
“Batumi yev Poti Navahangistnerits Ogtvelu Sakagnery Kveranayven? Parzabanum e
Tigran Avinyany [Will the Tariffs for the Ports of Batumi and Poti Be Revised? Tigran
Avinyan
Clarifies]”,
Shant
News,
November
14,
2018,
https://www.shantnews.am/news/view/208319.html.
98 “Hay-Vratsakan Khorhrdaktsutyunner Nakhararneri Teghakalner Shavarsh Kocharyani
yev Davit Donduayi Makardakov [Armenian-Georgian consultations at the level of
Deputy Ministers Shavarsh Kocharyan and David Dondua]”, Aravot.am, June 7, 2017,
https://www.aravot.am/2017/06/07/890445/.
99 “Salome Zurabishvilin Andradardzel e Hayastani yev Vrastani Mijev Sahmanagtsman
Hartsin” [Salome Zurabishvili addresses border demarcation issue between Armenia and
Georgia]”.
ArmeniaSputnik.am,
March
13,
2019,
https://armeniasputnik.am/region/20190313/17682361/salome-zurabishvilin-
andradarcele-hayastani-u-vrastani-mijev-sahmanagcman-harcin.html.
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