TBILISI (RFE/RL)—Azerbaijan’s ambassador in Tbilisi on Thursday urged the Georgian government to restrict Armenia’s commercial access to Georgia’s Black Sea coast and stop tens of thousands of Armenian traveling there each year.
Namig Aliyev claimed the Armenian presence in the Black Sea region of Adzharia is part of a long-term plan to annex it to Armenia. “For Armenians, access to the Black Sea means the realization of the idea of a ‘Greater Armenia from sea to sea,’” he told the Azerbaijani APA news agency.
Adzharia is one of the most popular destinations of Armenian vacationers attracted by its beaches and inexpensive resorts. An estimated 70,000 Armenians spent their summer holidays there in 2009.
Capitalizing on this demand, some Armenian businesspeople have reportedly purchased real state and made other investments in the local tourism infrastructure in recent years.
“[The Black Sea resorts of] Kobuleti, Batumi and other regions in Adzharia are being ‘Armenianized,’ Armenians are being resettled there,” claimed Aliyev. “This is a great threat. Taking into account the fact that in 2009-2010 hundreds of Adzharian families moved from Adzharia to other regions of Georgia as migrants, we’ll see where these processes will lead the Georgians.”
The diplomat added that use of the Georgian Black Sea ports of Batumi and Poti by Armenian exporters and importers also poses a grave threat to Georgia’s territorial integrity. “I can understand it when a state has no access to sea and wants to establish friendship, economic, commercial, transport relations with other states, in order to have access to sea,” he said. “But in the case of Armenia … these are territorial claims.”
According to Aliyev, Armenia will seek to eventually “occupy these territories both militarily and through migration.” “Azerbaijanis and Georgians should unite to prevent this policy. Otherwise, we will not be able to achieve anything,” he said.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has encouraged Armenian tourism and investments into his country ever since he swept to power in 2003. His administration’s radical crackdown on police corruption and the launch of a regular train service between Yerevan and Batumi are among the factors behind recent years’ surge in the number of Armenian tourists.
In an effort to further facilitate transport between their countries, the Armenian and Georgian governments pledged last week to jointly operate their border crossings.
Also, a new highway currently built in southern Georgia is expected to substantially shorten travel between Armenia and the Georgian Black Sea coast.
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Dang!!! They’re on to us.
Weak Azeris, lol.
Wow, what a hilarious act of desperation from Azerbaijan. How pathetic. Really now, just…pathetic.
How dumb and ignorant can one be by making statements like the one azeri whoever the F…he is about teritorial claims you moran b..i txa
Someone needs to B****h slap the “ambassador” Namig Aliyev and make him understand that when Armenians claim ZOVEH ZOV(sea to sea), we mean from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea NOT the Black Sea. The Georgians can keep their access to the Black Sea, however, Saakhashivili needs to also be reminded that just like Javakh, Ajaria (Adzharia) is also an annexed autonomous region that has been attached illegally to Georgia, therefore, he needs to walk a very thin line and not rock the boat.
He is mistaken that Baku instead is part of Greater Armenia. lol
sorry correction: South of Baku, the cities of Lenkoran, Avrora & Astara
He is mistaken that South of Baku, the cities of Lenkoran, Avrora & Astara are part of Greater Armenia. lol
Chhristo Adjaria is “illegaly” attached to Georgia??????? what the hell? who is feeding you this garbage you must be Russian or Armenian no other sane person in this world would make such idiotic comment, Adjaria has been Georgian land for thousands of years before Russia even existed, please do not spread such bold lies, seems like nothing has hanged they just want to tear Georgia in to peices, you will not prevail snake, Adjaria will always be Georgia, so will South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Geogia is done losing lands.
where in your dreams? idiot?
Relax.
You must be Russian or Armenian, what the hell is that ? We Armenians have nothing agains Georgia so shut the hell up moran. Keep your Abxazia and whatever u have to yourselfs and stop making rasict comments u idiot. We r trying to have normal neighborly relations with Georgia , thats it.
No my friend we do have something against Georgia. A) Minority in peril 150,000 Javakhetsi Armenians living like crap (threy are now building the railroad there where not a single job contract went to an Armenian), B) Nationalization of Armenian monuments in Georgia 90% of our churches are renamed and nationalized in Tbilisi and other places. C) The Armenian CHURCH does not have official representation in Georgia, in other words ISLAM, Judaism, Catholicism, Orthodoxy are OK but the church that taught Georgians Chiristianity and then was abandoned by them is no longer allowed in Georgia. Why? because if the Armenian church is ever to be recognized by their wicked parliament Georgians know that it has legal entitlements to all the Georgian nationalized Armenian Churches. So, yes my friend we do have something against Georgia, only these complaints can wait in comparison to the possible war in Artsakh, Genocide Recognition by the international community, and Armenia’s overall economic growth.
Man I understand Georgia is done losing land. But, admit it you will never have Ossetia or Abkhazia back. The sooner you understand that the better it is for you. And if no other country recognizes these two breakaways so be it. The people there are probably happy that they no longer live under Georgian nationalist regime without any representation in your twisted parliament. But there is one region which is waiting desperately for the recognition of some sort in Tbilisi. And that Javakhk. So, if you think that Armenians want any kind of territorial claim in Georgia, you are wrong. Otherwise our tanks would already roll through Javakhk a long time ago. But Georgia knows that Yerevan needs its economic partner, and Georgia uses every single piece of that knowledge to make Armenia miserable. When they cut off all communication with Russia in 2008 it was Armenians who felt the worst. Did we complain No. Now your buddy Aliev wants us to stop going to Batumi. OK why don’t you go and ask your own businessmen in Batumi if that’s a good Idea.
TO NO NAME – !
Your Talkback would have had a Greater Authority if Your name Was atatched to it,
because You are Right.
All Peoples in Kaukasus –
if not – Armenian – Turk – Russian or Slav –
are of GRUSIAN/Geogian Origin.
The Old name of Grusia/Georgia was KASKA,
and SHE gave the Name to the KASPIAN Sea
ARN.SWEDEN.
Hayere shat ankaghakagetakan sovorutyuner unen. Anpayman e vor mihat haka-vratsakan ban artahaytel es kayki vra? Duq gidek vor Vratsineri tars verabermunka mer nkatman shat ankam galisa en vakhits vor menk, Ruseri nman, uzumenq irants taratske masits mas bajhanenk? Duq chek haskanum vor mer ankekhts khoskere Vratsahayerin u verchapes Hayastanin en vnas talu? Shat djhbakht bane vor Christo’i nman Hayer kan vor Vratsinerin atum en u pars artahaytum en. Heto menq enq zarmanum vor Vratsinere mer het motikutyn chen anum. Ayt pesi khoskernen vor Aderbejantsinere mer dem oktagortsum en vor irants kekhtot, hakahaykakan paykarnere arach antskatsnen. Esh hayer, gonye yete tens baner iskakanits kartsum eq, dzez pahek. Petk chi ashkare imana inch eq mtatsum amen mi yerkiri masin, manavant vor et yerkire mihak yerekirne shrjanum vor menq karank oktvenk.
De lav Gites Armenian, mer Hayeri mech enkan mes beran marthik kan vor irens shrtunknere shata tulasel u sens voris xosum en chen jogum vor ayo irok Vrasineri het lav piti linenk vorovhetev jampan endexova u mer harevanna bays de che merons mech enkan Darmayit Bomjer kan vor asum en nor en mtasum te inchen asel
you’re talking pure nonsense.
baron, I think referring to you as baron seems to leave the impression that I am respecting you and your cheap shots, on the contrary, after reading your comment I realized that you haven’t mastered the English/American language, hence your cheap shot at me. I should also remind you that your responding to a comment section of a diaspora website, therefore you should have the common courtesy of responding in WESTERN ARMENIAN which is the official language of the Diaspora. Baron, if you take the time to reread my comment you would realize that I NEVER espoused any hatred towards the Georgians or Saakhashivili. This alone made me realize that you either haven’t mastered the English language or your English skills are poor. What part of my ZOVE ZOV comment disturbed you? Did my comment regarding the Ambassador of Azerbaijan disturb you? or the comment that Saakhashivili needs to be reminded that Joseph Stalin annexed South Ossetia, Ajaria, Abkhazia and Javakh to Georgia?
Ko kaghakaganutyan masnakedoutyoune vordeghits e? Vor sovetakan gam haykakan institutum es avardoum vor gardzes masnakedi neman haydadvoum es. Yes kezanitz shad aveli haykakan badmoutyoun imanoum em, yev haykakan kaghakaganuyunitz. Votch kez neman hayer mi or zenk groum en yev yerkri bashdbanoum. Ko neman hayer miyan khosum en gardzez masnakedner en. Myus ankam baron ankleren mi kich aveli sovori yev hedo indz neman hayeri ases vor djbakh hayer enk. mite ko tzerke menar hayastane ko neman hayeri tzerke hayastan aysor koyutioun chi ounenar. Baron jan.
Hsdag e vor “barone” Hamaynavaroutyoun gue bashde ter
Gaining direct access to the Black Sea has to be one of Armenia’s long-term strategic national intentions. As long as Armenia remains small and landlocked in the Caucasus, we cannot realistically expect the nation to develop and grow strong. Having a direct access to the global market is a must for Armenia. And gaining an access to the Black Sea via Adjaria is more doable than Trabizon and all it would require is a green light from Moscow. I hope to see our politicians work on that green light.
Georgia must be liberated from Georgians!
Very Well Said Baron Avetis
Any Georgian that buys this clown Alyiev’s jokes must be a no brainer, when Georgia was broken into civil war, it was the Armenian Prime minister who went to Tbilisi to stand by the President and not an Azeri clown, It has been the same Armenian policy for ages whether under the bondage of the Mongols-Ottomans or an Empire. Armenia has given lands to Georgia and not taken any even when had the chance to do so, in return they wish for the Georgians to be a civilized country with european standards and say no to racism, by the way anyone knows who was the founder of the Georgian alphabet ?
what a looser
This is not laughable, but this is really sad how racists the rulers of Armenian’s East and West neighbors indeed are!
Rulers in Baku are no less paranoid and fascists as there big brothers in Ankara! Soon Azerbaijani’s ambassador in US will warn US about long-term plan of Armenians to annex California to Armenia, which could fallow by the annexation of NY and Alaska with its oil fields!!
Azari corrupt leader & assosiates do not need to hide their intention to destablize region following The policy
of devide & conquer, to achive their dream, to create united turkik empire, in this regard they will do whatever is accecible to utilize & devide nations of the region, or attract non region governments to exploit
locals.Azari ambasador with his chiken brain distibuting fallacy if Armenian or Georgian tourists & investors
are traveling each other country, can be a dangerous thing?
This idiot ambasador does nt understand les than a 100 years ego never been azarbaijan in this region, also
the name have been stolen from Iran, to devide Iran.
Nobody needs azari advise, nomadic herds of strengers from central Asian Saharan by looting & destruction
of locals now playing their double standards for other region people, Georgian themselve need to realize azaries are not only the enemy of Armenians, they included Georgia Russia & iran enemy. There is no secret that azarris exploiting there common border with Georgia against Georgian & Armenian nations, for example diverting BTC pipeline from its normal direction was intended to drive a wedge between Georgia &
Armenia, more over azaris are expending petrodollars to stockpile weapons, instead of economy development, logically it must make them nervous & alert, or azaris suggesting Georgian authorities to buy
Russian/Armenian gas pipeline crossing Georgian territoris, purely designedto destablize & devide the region, a friendly government will not commit to provoke 2 neighburing nations against eachother
It is natural azaris will never understand historical culural & religious relations of Georgian &Armenians.
In my opinion if azarbaijan initiated a war against Armenia, it will legitimate &deserving push azaris out of
territoris bordering Georgia & bring under Armenians control, which will gauratee peace, stability & prosperity for all rtegion of countries.
HAHAHAHAHAH OMG THIS IS HILARIOUS!!!!!!!! THIS IS LIKE A 2 YEAR OLD CHILD RUNNING TO GET A CANDY. HAHAHA “ARMENIANS WANT SEA TO SEA ARMENIA” HAHHAAHAH
What I want to know is if Azerbaijani diplomats are born with their foot in their mouth or they are trained to put their foot in their mouth before being sent out to represent their pathetic country. Maybe it is in the Aliyev family genes since this idiot carries the same family name as his president.
Apres Armenian Jan:
Shat lav es asoum. Tzhbakhtabar mer eritasardneru lav teghegoutyounner ch’ounen ev aboush haytararoutyounner en anoum zanazan interneti maseroum. Anshousht iranc iskakan anounu chen talis (vonc or dou) ev mtacoum en or katchoutyoun e. Erani aveli khelatsi lineyin.
Funny, I was just thinking the other day that Azerbaijan should not have access to the CASPIAN Sea.
In fact, too bad that the Treaty of Sevres, which unfortunately was not implemented, gave Turkey access to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. That was not right. After all, Turks came from Mongolia and Central Asia where they really had no access to any oceanic body of water.
Turks don’t like water anyway. Do they take baths?
“Georgia must be liberated from Georgians?”
Aprek, Hayer! Khosatsek, parz u ankekhts! Ays khoskere mer meshkin en tngvelu turov u da Aderbejansineri dzerkerov chi lini, aylev otarneri dzerkerov ovker Aderbejantsinere karanaluen hamozel or menk el enk urishneri tshnamin! Aderbejantsinere misht pntrumen dzevere or mez tshnamatsnen ashkari het- manavant Vratsineri het- u “Georgia must be liberated from Georgians” shat hoyakap orinake irants pntrats khoskerits. Patkeratsreq yete mi hat Aderbejantsi gtner es kayke u Vratsinerin tsuyts tar, u na ira Vratsi ngernerin tsuyts tar, inch kartsik k’kazmen nrak? Duq et kan angraget eq or chek haskanum? Sa internet’na u martik karan tesnen dzer khosker parz, u irank el irants kartsike k hakahaykakan kartisknere k kazmen MER hakavratsakan khoskerov. Ayt khoskere Aderbejantsineri gortse heshtatsnum en u irants hamar aveli hesht klini vor hakahaykakan tramadutsyner stekhtsel irants artasahmanum…
Cheq haskanum vor nrank amen tari 1963 tvits nrank 100,000 hamankov shatanum en. 2030 tvin arten 18,000,000 a linelu irants kanake. Mihat petutsyn u ir 18,000,000 kanakov sagh mer dem en ashkhatelu amen mi harts ov. Da herik chi linelu mer hamar, te uzumeq or mi 4,000,000 el avelatsnenk or mihatel petustyn u ir sovorakan Vratsi jhoghoghurtnel mer dem ashkhaten?
Are we really trying to make ourselves the most hated people of the Caucasus or what?
The Azeris try to show they are “concerned” about Georgia’s territorial integrity. I think the Georgian government should give a harsh response to the statement the Azerbaijan’s “ambassador” in Tbilisi Namig Aliyev made to the Azerbaijani news agency. Aliyev should be reminded not to give “advice” to other states on what should they follow in their foreign or tourism policies. After blockading Armenia and Artsakh-Karabakh Republic, Azerbaijan “urges” Armenia’s neighbor countries to follow the same policy and interferes in Armenia’s relations with these countries. Azerbaijan’s efforts with Iran had failed, while it was gravely “concerned” that Armenia-Turkey notorious protocols could pave the way to Armenia’s borders opening with Turkey. It is clear what Azerbaijan’s diplomatic missions in other countries are busy with; interfering in those countries affairs and spying on their Armenian communities.
Wow wonderful. How great it is to know that Azeri leadership is that dumb. Naturally Aliev should add that Mexico should restrict American travel to the Mexican Riviera to curb US takeover of Mexico, he should also submit a statement of warning that Croatia should restrict Austrian Tourist from traveling to their coast in case Austria might want to take back their maritime presence in the Adriatic. Oh and he should never ever stop being Azeri President because it is this type of leadership that makes even Turkey look at their neighbor and say “oh man our brothers are dumb.”
We should take their advice. But in all seriousness. We don’t need another conflict. The best solution for Armenia and Georgia ia a federation. However, they are too invested in their American & Turkish allies.