Vahe Sargsyan, a historian at the "Mitk Analytical Center", believes the visit of Georgian PM Ivanishvili to Armenia symbolizes the start of a new series of relations between the two countries.

“I would like to believe in Ivanishvili’s sincerity and in the statements that he made in Armenia. However, we must take into account a number of negative and positive factors that exists independent of the prime minister’s will,” Sargsyan told reports in Yerevan today.

The leading negative factor, noted Sargsyan, was the huge influence that the Georgian Orthodox Church has on Georgian culture, the economy, and especially politics. This influence is primarily felt by minorities living in Georgia, in particular, non-orthodox Armenian Christians.  

Sargsyan argued that in contrast to the period of Saakashvili, in this respect, freedom has increased for Armenians in Javakhk, Tbilisi and other areas, and that cultural repression has significantly lessened.

On the positive side, Sargsyan noted willingness of the new Georgian government to improve relations with Russia. The analyst said that this was also in the interest of Armenians since it created a counterweight to the Turkish-Azerbaijani expansionism that had increased recently in Georgia.

The analyst pointed to another important factor; that Mikhail Saakashvili was still the president of Georgia. Only after he leaves office will the situation in Georgia, noted Sargsyan, will the situation there be more fully clarified.

Vahe Sargsyan, a historian at the Mitk Analytical Center, believes the visit of Georgian PM Ivanishvili to Armenia symbolizes the start of a new series of relations between the two countries.

“I would like to believe in Ivanishvili’s sincerity and in the statements that he made in Armenia. However, we must take into account a number of negative and positive factors that exists independent   of the prime minister’s will,” Sargsyan told reports in Yerevan today.

The leading negative factor, noted Sargsyan, was the huge influence that the Georgian Orthodox Church has on Georgian culture, the economy, and especially politics. This influence is primarily felt by minorities living in Georgia, in particular, non-orthodox Armenian Christians.  

Sarhsyan argued that in contrast to the period of Saakashvili, in this respect, freedom has increased for Armenians in Javakhk, Tbilisi and other areas, and that cultural repression has significantly lessened.

On the positive side, Sargsyan noted willingness of the new Georgian government to improve relations with Russia. The analyst said that this was also in the interest of Armenians since it created a counterweight to the Turkish-Azerbaijani expansionism that had increased recently in Georgia.

The analyst pointed to another important factor; that Mikhail Saakashvili was still the president of Georgia. Only after he leaves office will the situation in Georgia, noted Sargsyan, will the situation there be more fully clarified.