Georgia responds to Lavrov: safety of foreign citizens absolutely ensured in Georgia
Georgia says that the safety of all tourists is ensured in Georgia. Photo: Foreign Ministry press office.
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Georgian Foreign Ministry has responded to the recent statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who said that Russia will remove the flight ban on Georgia when the country has fully ensured the safety of Russian citizens in Georgia.
Safety of all foreign citizens and tourists, including Russians, is fully ensured in Georgia as Georgia is a safe country and this is confirmed by the EU and by many international ratings,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Vladimir Konstantinidi said.
He stated that the deadlock in relations, which was created after the occupation of Georgian territories by Russia in 2008, will be removed when Russia withdraws its troops from Georgia, meets its international obligations and allows Georgian IDPs to return to their homes.
At the same time we should preserve the progress we have achieved in trade, economic and humanitarian relations. To retain the progress, the current tension should be eased,” Konstantinidi said.
Lavrov has urged the Georgian government to “realise the damage” the country will suffer if the current tension with Russia continues.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that the ban on direct flights to Georgia will be removed when “security threats” to Russians in Georgia are eliminated.
Russian citizens have held a rally in front of the Georgian parliament building today, saying that Georgians’ anti-occupation protests are justified and that they do not share the attitude of the Kremlin on many issues regarding Georgia.
Acting US Ambassador to Georgia Elizabeth Rood says that Georgia is a safe country and Russia should remove the ban on direct flights to Georgia, which came into force on July 8.
The Russian State Duma adopted a statement at a plenary session today, urging the government of Russia to impose tough economic sanctions on Georgia and halt the import of wine and mineral waters from Georgia to the Russian Federation and put in place a ban on remittances from Russia.