“I restate that there is no problem we would fail to resolve with Georgia,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated in Parliament.

Responding to Chairman of the Javakhk compatriotic union Shirak Toprosyan’s question as to what particular issues were discussed during Georgian FM Grigol Vashadze’s visit to Armenia, Minister Nalbandian said that the sides discussed the problems of Armenian schools, teaching of the Armenian language. “Many issues found their solutions,” the Minister said. The sides discussed the issue of the Upper Lars checkpoint, and Minister Vashadze promised to resolve the problem. The checkpoint was reopened within hours.

Commenting on Minister Vashadze’s statement that he does not known about Javakhk, as there is no such place on the map, Nalbandian stressed it would have been wrong on his (Nalbandian’s) part to interfere during the press conference.

However, Torosyan was not satisfied. He stressed that Georgia deliberately creates problems on the threshold of its officials’ visits to Armenia to resolve them later thereby diverting Yerevan’s attention from major problems. “They deliberately closed Upper Lars to reopen it during Vashadze’s visit later and present it as a friendly gesture. The same occurred during the Georgian education minister’s visit to Armenia. He had stated he would not allow Armenian teachers from Georgia to take retraining courses in Armenia. During his visit he promised to settle the issue as a token of goodwill. But major problems escaped notice again,” Torosya said.

In response, Minister said: “Let us not release emotions – it does not help resolve the problems.”