Georgian president offers Normandy dialogue format with Russia
Russia has responded to the Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili’s offer. Photo: President’s press office.
Tweet 
Share
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has offered the Normandy format of dialogue with Russia, the format Ukraine has with the country.
The Normandy format involves Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France.
Deputy head of Foreign Issues Committee in Russian Duma Dmitry Novikov says that Russian-Ukrainian relations and situation significantly differs from that one between Russia and Georgia.
The Georgian Dream government appointed Zurab Abashidze as the PM’s special representative in relations with Russia in 2012 to deal with trade and economic issues.
The two countries have no diplomatic relations since the Russia-Georgia war in 2008.
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.
The situation remains stable in the village of Chorchana, located in Khashuri Municipality, near the Russia-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region since 06:00 AM when the ultimatum of the Ossetian side expired. The Ossetian side demanded the Georgian side dismantle a police checkpoint that is located on Georgia-controlled area and gave time by 06:00 AM, August 30.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has invited foreign diplomats to discuss the tense situation near the occupation line with the Russia-occupied Tskhinvali region, in Khashuri Municipality. The diplomats have convened in the foreign ministry as the 95th session of Incidents Prevention and Response Mechanism (IRPM) in Russia-occupied Ergneti village, attended by Georgian, Russian and so-called Ossetian government members fell apart today.
A Russian SUS aircraft violated Georgian airspace at about 12:00 near the village of Gugutiantkari today. The State Security Service of Georgia has confirmed the violation and stated the move is ‘yet another provocation by Russia.’
The Estonian intelligence report of 2020 reads that this year ‘Russia’s focus will certainly be on the US presidential and Georgian parliamentary elections.’ The report says that the main goal of Russia is to ensure a more beneficial election result by favouring Russian-friendly candidates or those who have the most divisive influence in the West. “Moreover, Russia wants to show that the west is failing to hold fair elections."
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that all states party to the Open Skies Treaty ‘must fully implement their commitments and obligations’, while Russia has imposed flight restrictions ‘inconsistent with the Treaty’.