GEORGIAN-ARMENIAN RELATIONS: BETWEEN OLD AND NEW

Asbed KOTCHIKIAN

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Asbed Kotchikian, Ph.D. candidate, Boston University; visiting lecturer, Wheaton College (Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.A.)

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The Caucasus has historically been well known for its lush vegetation, fierce warriors and the hospitality of its people. However, in the past several centuries, history has not treated the region well. It has become a battleground between empires and been ravaged with both inter- and intra-state wars. Since the breakdown of the Soviet Union, the countries of the Caucasus have tried to follow their own models of development and paths toward asserting their independence and identity. Despite cultural and historic similarities, Georgia and Armenia have opted to pursue different, and sometimes opposing, tracks in terms of foreign policy orientations and juxtaposed relations with neighboring states.

This article is an attempt to evaluate Georgian-Armenian relations and sketch the general parameters in which both countries operate and interact with each other, as well as domestic, historical and strategic factors that influence their view of themselves and others.

Georgian-Armenian Historical Relations at a Glance

The relations between the two nations predate the relations between the two states and extend to historical times. Throughout the centuries, both nations have had cordial relations and at some points in their history even formed united kingdoms under the leadership of Georgian or Armenian kings. One of the first instances of such cooperation was in the late fifth century A.D., when Georgian King Vakhtang Gorgasali (Gorgosal) revolted against his Persian overlords with the help of an Armenian feudal family, the Mamikonians. Although the revolt was eventually subdued, it was one of the first instances of both confronting a common threat or enemy. Over the next several centuries, closer ties developed between the two countries, which resulted in the ascension of the same noble family, the Bagratuni (Bagrationi in Georgian), to the thrones of the two countries. The Bagratuni dynasty ruled Georgia until 1801, long after its Armenian counterpart lost power in 1045.

Both countries had their share of domination and occupation by foreign empires, starting with the Roman and the Persian, all the way to the Arab, Ottoman, and Russian. However, Georgia’s geographic location outside of the main routes between East and West gave it an opportunity to develop its statehood with fewer interruptions, resulting in an independent Georgian kingdom that lasted until the early 19th century. It is because of this advantage that Georgian rulers such as David II the Builder and Queen Tamar were able to establish a relatively stable kingdom in Georgia and…………………

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