Official Tbilisi does not care of recognizing Armenian language as regional, State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration, Temur Yakobashvili said at the September 8 meeting with Georgian diplomats and Government, Georgia Online reports.

“We do not consider recognizing Armenian language as regional,” Yakobashvili stated.

September 1, RA President Serzh Sargsyan proposed Tbilisi to recognize Armenian language as regional in Javakhk (Armenian populated region of Georgia) at the annual meeting with countries’ diplomatic corps. “I reckon that imparting Armenian language a regional status, provision of Armenian Apostolic church with status and steps toward the protection of Armenian monuments will assist the reinforcement of Armenian-Georgian friendship as well as deepening of mutual confidence atmosphere,” Sargsyan stated.

Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze during his visit to Yerevan Sept. 4 commented on the RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement concerning status of Armenian language in Georgia. He said that Georgia is ready to discuss any ideas with Armenian counterparts, adding that “regardless what the status of Armenian language in Georgia will be, Georgian citizens of Armenian origin are protected, have equal rights that are secured along with those of other nations residing in Georgia.”