The Embassy of Armenia in Tbilisi celebrated the 33rd anniversary of the Republic's independence. 

On September 21, 1991 the people of Armenia announced the birth of the new independent Republic of Armenia through the referendum. A new page began in the thousand-year history of the Armenian people: the page of independence and statehood. 

During his speech, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Georgia Ashot Smbatian noted: 

"The achievement of independence was also a symbol of the revival of our people, the people against whom one of the terrible crimes in the history of mankind - genocide - was committed at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Having an independent state is the highest form of self-expression of any nation and often comes at the cost of many trials and sufferings, and we have not been spared from this. Since gaining independence, the Republic of Armenia has had to face socio-economic and political crises and wars".  

The ambassador also spoke about the fact that after gaining independence, the Armenian people had to go through a difficult path: „In fact, declaring independence is one thing, but preserving and strengthening it is quite another. Since independence we have passed through the most difficult path: forced wars, blockades, economic and humanitarian crises, which we had to overcome by ourselves, because building a state, as well as laying the foundations of a developing economy, cannot be quick and smooth“.  

As Ashot Smbatian has pointed out, in September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan launched a 44-day war against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, violating the norms of international law and the fundamental principle of the Helsinki Final Act: the inadmissibility of the use or threat of use of force. Both the war and subsequent aggressions of Azerbaijan in 2021, 2022 and 2023 against the sovereign territory of Armenia resulted in the loss of thousands of lives, and in September 2023 more than 100 thousand Armenians were forced to leave their historical homeland - Nagorno-Karabakh and were deported to Armenia.

The ambassador also spoke about Armenia's achievements and vision for the future. 

The aforementioned trials could not break the willpower of the Armenian people to live and create, to preserve and develop our democracy, free and open society. In these difficult conditions, thanks to its hardworking and conscientious people, Armenia was able to achieve stable economic growth and create a stable macroeconomic environment. Armenia, having limited opportunities, not only received and sheltered more than 100 thousand compatriots, who were displaced from Nagorno Karabakh, but also the Government of the Republic of Armenia implements many programs related to their social security, residence and work. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Hungarian authorities for supporting the refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. 

The Government of Armenia has repeatedly stated that it has adopted the agenda of peace and normalization of relations with neighboring Turkey and Azerbaijan, and is interested in unblocking and functioning of regional communications. The Prime Minister of Armenia has presented the “Crossroad of Peace” project, for the first time here in Georgia, which envisages the unblocking of communications in the region, reconstruction and reopening of existing railroads and highways, as well as the construction of new routes. Armenia has also taken many practical steps towards establishing relations with Turkey and opening the border. Having reconstructed and renovated Armenia-Turkey Margara border checkpoint and infrastructures, Armenia is waiting for the implementation of the agreements already reached with Turkey. We have also taken important steps towards the demarcation of the border and the signing of a peace agreement with Azerbaijan. Most of the agreement has already been agreed upon, and Armenia is ready to sign it as soon as possible. Unfortunately, however, the opposite party is artificially delaying it. We will continue our efforts towards the establishment of lasting peace and stability in the region, and in this regard we also count on the support of the international community". 

During the speech, Ashot Smbatian underlined: the Government of Armenia gives exceptional priority to the cooperation with fraternal Georgia at various levels. The current year is unique for the Armenian-Georgian relations, as can state that relationship between Armenia and Georgia has been enhanced to the qualitatively new phase and reached to the strategic level. I am pleased to state that on January 26, 2024, during the visit of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the leaders of two Governments signed “The Joint Declaration on the Strategic Partnership between Armenia and Georgia”. In March 2024 the Prime Minister of Georgia, H.E. Irakli Kobakhidze visited Armenia, and just several days ago the Prime Minister of Armenia, H.E. Nikol Pashinyan visited Georgia. The mutual visits of the delegations of different formats of both Parliaments took place during the year.    

"We value the dynamically developing relations between Armenia and Georgia, the close ties between the leaders of two countries, the active dialogue between the Parliaments and the developing relations at different levels. Georgia is a key political, security and economic partner for Armenia. The mutual visits of the Defense Ministers of Georgia and Armenia took place on July and September of 2024.

In 2023-2024 Armenia is the 5th trading partner of Georgia, and in terms of export volumes of Georgian products to Armenia, Armenia ranks fourth place. The cultural, educational, scientific, social humanitarian ties, as well as tourism have been actively developed. We can confidently state that there is no sphere where Armenia and Georgia do not have cooperation or at least initiated it.  

Apart of all this, our peoples are united by centuries-old history, in the various milestones of which we were almost intertwined.  During the history very often Armenian and Georgian peoples have struggled together to maintain their national identity and Christian values. The two ancient nations also have their unique contribution to global history and culture. The role of Armenian and Georgian sister Christian Churches in the friendship of Armenian and Georgian peoples, as well as the Armenian community of Georgia, which has important role in the social-political, economic and cultural spheres of Georgia, being a unique bridge connecting our two countries".   

After gaining independence, a new, young and full-passioned generation, which, the ambassador is sure, has grown up in Armenia, bearing a different mentality and values. And this generation is the main pledge of the further development and prosperity of our country, the pledge of the promising future of our country and people.