Georgia-Russia envoys meet in Prague
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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.
Although the format does not include discussions of security issues, the Georgian envoy focused on the situation in the Russian occupied regions of Georgia – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and recent incidents along the occupation line.
In particular, Abashidze spoke about the illegal deal between Russia and the occupied regions on the unification of military forces as well as the opening of so-called customs points.
Abashidze and Karasin also discussed the dynamic of commercial-economic relations between Georgia and Russia, which, according to 2017 data, has grown. The trend is also growing in transportation and tourism.
Negotiations also touched upon problems regarding the implementation of the 2011 agreement on the mechanism of customs administration and the monitoring of regional trade.
Various humanitarian issues were also discussed during the meeting.
- 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.
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 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.
Georgia’s Special Envoy to Russia Zurab Abashidze says the Russian government is working to simplify visas for Georgian citizens. He spoke this news after meeting with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in Prague, Czech Republic yesterday.
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.
Georgian Special Envoy to Russia Zurab Abashidze has raised current problems in the two occupied regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) during his meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in Prague yesterday.
Georgia has exported 1.5 billion USD worth of products to Russia since 2012, Georgian Special Envoy to Russia Zurab Abashidze stated after his meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gregory Karasin in Prague on June 13.
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.
Russia is now discussing whether it should continue to hold trade and economic talks with Georgia, previously known as the Abashidze-Karasin talks, the only direct format of relations since the two countries suspended diplomatic ties in 2008 after the Russia-Georgia war. The continuation of the talks came under question after the resignation of former Russian Deputy FM Gregory Karasin earlier this year.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the country’s current ties with Russia did not go beyond trade and economic relations.