Georgia has great potential to unite Armenia and Azerbaijan: Klaar

There is great potential for trilateral cooperation between Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, which will benefit all parties. In an interview with the Georgian service of Voice of America, Toivo Klaar, Special Representative of the European Union for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia, stated.

“Georgia has great potential to unite the two neighbors. Tbilisi can help its neighbors to cooperate in areas where cooperation previously seemed impossible, but is now becoming more possible. Thus, Georgia has great potential as a country that encourages and offers ideas,” Klaar said.

According to him, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan affects Georgia as well.

“The fact that there are still no peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, readiness for contact and free trade, affects Georgia as well. Because of this conflict, three countries, including Georgia, are losing economic opportunities. The settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the restoration of communications and trade relations will be beneficial especially for these three South Caucasian countries,” the official said.

According to Klaar, the European Union is interested in settling the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“An observation mission is something we can do in the short term, but it cannot last long. For some time, we are moving part of the mission from Georgia to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border,” Klaar concluded.