Is the Caucasus region about to see the birth of yet another local spat? As News.AZ reports, Georgia and Armenia appear to be heading into a battle over the use of brand names, especially regarding wine. From the report:
Georgian media are urging President Mikheil Saakashvili to raise with his Armenian counterpart the use of Georgian brand names by Armenian producers.Saakashvili is to pay an official visit to Armenia In late February-early March.
The media are urging him to prick the conscience of the Armenian side at the negotiations with President Serzh Sargsyan and to protect the interests of Georgian producers, Russian newspaper Vzglyad's correspondent reports from Tbilisi.
Georgia's patent agency has already begun investigations of the use of Georgian brand names by Armenian producers.
The head of the agency, Irakliy Gvaladze, said this was "not the first time that Armenia had tried to steal Georgian brands”.
Armenian officials, meanwhile, have hit back at the Georgian claims, saying their brands are better recognized abroad so they wouldn't even need to use their neighbor's brand names.
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