Georgian and Russian envoys meet in Prague
Tweet 
Share
Georgian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze and State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigory Karasin have met in Prague in what is the only format of direct Georgia-Russia dialogue.
The first thing the Georgian envoy raised at the meeting was the illegal activities of Russia being carried out in Georgia’s Russian occupied regions, said the government administration in the press release.
Abashidze called these activities "alarming” and said they not only violate Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty but also violate the principles of international law.
"This creates serious challenges for the security of Georgia as well as the whole South Caucasus region”, Abashidze said.
The pair also discussed the dynamic of trade-economic relations between Georgia and Russia.
They stressed that according to 2017 data, these relations have grown. The same applied to air and land transportation. Also, the number of Russian tourists to Georgia has grown and it will exceed one million by the end of the year.
Negotiations also touched upon the problems regarding the implementation of the 2011 agreement on the mechanism of customs administration and monitoring of regional trade. The sides discussed the possibility to meet up in Switzerland by the end of November and sign a contract with the Swiss company SGS to actually start the implementation of the 2011 deal.
The so-called Abashidze-Karasin meetings in Prague are the only format of direct dialogue between Georgia and Russia since the two countries cut off their diplomatic ties after the 2008 war. The format was launched in late 2012 and covers only humanitarian, trade and economic related issues. It does not touch upon politics. Political issues are mainly in focus of the IPRM meetings where international negotiators facilitate talks between Georgia, Russia and de-facto leadership of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, the two Georgian regions that are currently occupied by Russia.
The Georgian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Relations with Russia says that the only aim of erecting new border signs along the ABL with breakaway Tskhinvali region is to force the Georgian side to start negotiations on the demarcation process.
The Georgian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze has summed up his recent meeting with the State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Grigory Karasin.
The Georgian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze and the State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Grigory Karasin have met in Prague in what is the only format of direct Georgia-Russia dialogue.
The Georgian Prime Minister’s special representative for relations with Russia says that if it were not for the Abashidze-Karasin meeting format, visa-free travel to the European Union for Georgian citizens would have been much longer in the coming.
A contract signed on December 19 by Georgia and a Swiss company regarding the monitoring of cargo traffic between Georgia and Russia is only an agreement on the implementation of the Georgia-Russia 2011 deal, says Georgia’s Foreign Minister.
Moscow is ready for intensifying "practical cooperation” with Georgia in 2018 and hopes for an "adequate response” from Tbilisi, says State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigory Karasin.
The Georgian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze and State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigory Karasin met in Prague, Czech Republic yesterday for what is the only format of direct Georgia-Russia dialogue.
The next regular working meeting between the Georgian PM’s special representative for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze and the Russian deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin will be held on May 24 in Prague.
The agreement signed by Georgia and Russia in 2011 envisages setting up of a mechanism of customs administration and the monitoring of regional trade by third parties.
Georgian Envoy to Russia Zurab Abashidze and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin have met in Prague, Czech Republic today to discuss trade-economic relations, as the format of the meetings is not meant to be political.
Georgia is waiting for the nomination of a new deputy foreign minister of Russia to say how the talks on trade and economic cooperation will continue with Russia.Georgia and Russia restored trade and economic relations back in 2013, with Russian deputy Foreign Minister Gregory Karasin taking up negotiations.