Russian FM comments on meeting with Georgian counterpart

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference during the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York yesterday that at the recent meeting with his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani the issue of re-launching flights to Georgia was also raised.

• Russian FM Lavrov supports resumption of flights to Georgia as Georgians ‘realised consequences’ of June 20

Lavrov said that at the September 26th meeting, which he said was held upon Zalkaliani’s request, he explained that Russia “never searched for artificial reasons to argue with Georgia”. 

If Georgian officials will responsibly manage to use their position on behalf of normal relations with Russia... then, probably, I would personally re-launch the flights”, Lavrov said.

He said Moscow made a decision to suspend flight with Georgia in response to “embarrassing” act of Georgian opposition during the Inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy hosted by the Parliament of Georgia on June 20. 

When we were taking this decision, it was announced that this would be a temporary measure and that we would lift it when the situation becomes normal, when the Georgian officials would realise the necessity of avoiding such accidents [in future]”, he stated.

Anti-occupation rallies were held in front of the parliement building in Tbilisi, triggered by the Russian delegations visit on June 20. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UNGA on September 26. 

• Georgian, Russian Foreign Ministers hold first meeting since suspension of diplomatic ties in 2008

The meeting, which was the first since Georgia suspended its diplomatic ties with Russia following the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, was "initiated and facilitated" by Switzerland. 

• US Department of State spokesperson: US welcomes the meeting of Georgian-Russian FMs

Minister Zalkaliani said after the meeting that he directly told Lavrov that “it is necessary  to make steps for de-escalation of the situation and de-occupation” of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). 

• EU, OSCE, UN welcome the 1st meeting of Georgian-Russian FMs since 2008

Abkhazia and Tskhinvali were recognised as independent only by Russia, Venezuela, Nikaragua, Nauru and Syria since the Russia-Georgia war in 2008. The rest of the international community considers both regions as part of Georgia.