ArmInfo.Georgia respects Armenia's choice in the issue of integration with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Maya Panjikidze, the former foreign minister of Georgia, told journalists in Yerevan, on September 12.
"Armenia respects our choice and we do the same. We are neighbors and we must have good relations irrespective of our development vectors. I think we could become a good platform for settlement of conflicts. Armenia has its conflicts and we have ours. Georgia could play the role of a neutral mediator in the settlement of your conflicts and help establishing stability in the region," she said.
Commenting on Tbilisi's attitude towards Russia's military build-up in the region, particularly in Armenia, Panjikidze said they in Tbilisi disapprove such military build-up, especially in "Georgia's occupied territories," but it does not apply to Armenia.
"As for the other countries in the region, this is their personal choice," she said adding that the Georgia seeks to increase its military capacities not to let the events that happened 8 years ago to happen again (in August 2008, a war broke out between Russia and Georgia resulting in independence declarations by Abkhazia and South Ossetia - editor's note). "Therefore, we work with our NATO partners to increase our combat efficiency," she said.
Speaking of general Armenian-Georgian relations, the former minister said that when their Free Democrats Party was in the government, they exerted genuine efforts to keep the relations with neighbors, including with Armenia, at a high level.
"I cannot say anything about the plans and priorities of our incumbent government. We have very good political relations but we do not cooperate at full in the economic field. It is necessary to work and boost our economic relations," she said.
The Georgian official disagreed with the opinion that Georgia has better relations with Azerbaijan rather than Armenia. "I would not say Azerbaijan is more important to us than Armenia is. Azerbaijan is our strategic partner and we implement a range of projects with it. However, we have always had very good relations with Armenia," she said. Panjikidze is sure that the Association Agreement, which Georgia signed with the EU, will help enhancing the bilateral relations.
As to Russia's possible response to Georgia's NATO membership, Panjikidze said it will be negative, undoubtedly. "NATO has proved that despite Russia's negative response, more and more countries join NATO. I am sure Russia has no right of veto in this issue. Georgia is a country that can choose its development vector independently," she said for conclusion.