PM’s representative for relations with Russia responds to Russian FM’s interview on Georgia-Russia relations
Abashidze noted the decision to suspend traffic was made by Russia, and that the resumption of flights also depended on the country, and that the epidemiological situation would have to be taken into account as well. Photo: ipress.
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The Georgian Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze has responded to Russian FM Sergey Lavrov’s recent interview with Russian newspaper Trud, in which the latter expressed hope that aviation connections with Georgia would be restored in the near future.
Abashidze noted the decision to suspend traffic was made by Russia, and that the resumption of flights also depended on the country, and that the epidemiological situation would have to be taken into account as well.
Georgia wants to have a friendly relationship with Russia as it does with other neighbors, but it should be based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity”, Abashidze noted, echoing Lavrov’s expression of hope that relations between the countries will improve.
[However], the militarisation, borderisation process continues...human rights violations take place every day. If Russia really wants to fully restore friendly relations and bilateral ties, it must first start fulfilling its international obligations, including the August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, and show real progress in the Geneva International Discussions,” said Abashidze.
Diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia were suspended after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
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.
Georgian PM’s Special Representative in Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze says that no bilateral agreement on the opening of a Russian language and culture centre in Tbilisi was made during his meeting with Russian Former Deputy FM Gregory Karasin in Prague yesterday.
Russian former deputy FM Gregory Karasin, who met with Georgian PM’s Special Representative in Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze in Prague yesterday, has announced the opening of a Russian language and culture centre in Tbilisi in mid-December.
Flights between Georgia and Russia have been banned starting today following the recent decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The ban on flights was announced after protesters in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi tried to storm the Georgian parliament on June 20 when a Russian MP addressed a forum of politicians at the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy from the speaker’s chair.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said that in order for relations between Georgia and Russia to be normalised Russia must lift restrictions on flights to Georgia.
The Georgian Prime Minister’s special representative for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze and Russian ex-deputy foreign minister Gregory Karasin met online earlier today. Georgia and Russia, which have suspended their diplomatic ties following the Russia-Georgia war, hold trade and economic talks since 2013, under the Georgian Dream governance.
The meeting between Georgian and Russian expert circles in Moscow on March 24 was a “private initiative” and Georgian state structures “did not participate” in it, Zurab Abashidze, the Special Representative of the Georgian Prime Minister for Relations with Russia, said on Friday.
Zurab Abashidze, the Georgian Prime Minister’s Special Representative in Relations with Russia, on Wednesday confirmed he had held a prone conversation with Grigory Karasin, the Chair of Russia’s Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, last year over topics of traffic on the border crossing between the countries, explaining the discussion following the release of its recording by the anonymous YouTube channel Cyber Kmara.