Azernews.Az

By Jamila Babayeva

Georgia's lack of interest to renew its relations with Armenia is a concern for Yerevan.

Armenia, which lacks diplomatic ties with other neighbors in the region -- Azerbaijan and Turkey, is anxious with misunderstanding between the two South Caucasus states.

"The new authorities formed after the elections in Georgia actually have no interest in Armenia," the Chairman of the Armenian parliamentary committee on foreign relations Vladimir Karapetyan recently said. "Armenia's unexpected decision to join the Customs Union was another challenge."

He believes that tension and misunderstanding between Armenia and Georgia have recently increased.

Yerevan made a decision to become a member of the CU, which came into existence on January 1, 2010, and signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission.

Regional experts believe that current silence in Armenia-Georgia relations is a clear occurrence.

"Armenia is Russia's satellite," Azerbaijan political analyst Zardusht Alizade told AzerNews. During Saakashvili's presidency Russia pursued openly hostile policy against Georgia using the entire spectrum of available tools. Russia's tools also include Armenia as its outpost."

Alizade believes that after the power change in Georgia Russia's policy towards its southern neighbor has not changed much.

On the other hand, expert considers that Armenia's need for survival in a war with Azerbaijan and its traditional hostility to Turkey, forces the country's leaders to maintain normal relations with Georgia.

"Georgian ports and railway is Armenia's main gate to the outside world, which Armenia cannot lose. Good relations with Armenia are also vital for Georgia. Several times Russia was in the step from launching another war between the two countries of the South Caucasus," Alizade said.

Expert believes that Armenia's possible entrance to the Moscow-led Customs Union cannot influence to the process in South Caucasus.

"Armenia has no resources, no scientific-industrial potential to play any role in international affairs. Soon Armenia will remain without its people thanks to the genius of the presidents," Alizade stressed.

Georgian political analyst Gela Vasadze believes that Georgia's new government now busy with its internal problems.

"Government is under severe pressure of the opposition -- the experienced opponent. So, the new government is clearly not up to Armenia," he told AzerNews.

He considers that Armenia's joining to the Customs Union will sharply reduce the opportunities for Armenia-Georgia economic cooperation.

"During Saakashvili's presidency Georgia opened borders for neighbors, and Armenian businessmen created a lot of quite interesting patterns of trade and economic cooperation," Vasadze said. "Armenia's entrance to the Customs Union will put barriers on Armenia-Georgia borders. The obstacles will also appear following Georgia's signing an agreement with the EU on August 2014."