Author: Peter Lukimson, Israel. Exclusively for VK
The first sign of a sudden improvement of Israeli-Georgian ties was the invitation to Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze to visit Israel. It must be noted that Israel used to demonstrate a lack of interest in visits of Georgian government officials.
Vashadze was invited by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman during his conversation with the Georgian minister at the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers in Vilnius. The ministers underlined their joy at the conclusion of the case of businessmen Fuks and Frenkel. Vashadze is to visit Israel around January 10-12.
Israeli businessmen do not share the optimism of the politicians. Some entrepreneurs believe that the release of the businessmen would not result in more respect towards Georgia, since the London Court made them pay $70 million out of $98 million. Israeli business is still uninterested in investing in Georgia.
Georgian hopes for purchases of Israeli weapons are quite clear, because Israel promised Russia not to sell Georgia weaponry that would break the balance in the South Caucasus. Media say that Lieberman and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reconfirmed the promise at a meeting. It is actually too early to talk about restoration of Israeli-Georgian ties. But there have been recent developments, which will be resolved in January, during the visit of Vashadze to Jerusalem.
Abersalom (Archil) Kekelia has become the new Israeli Ambassador to Georgia. He is the former deputy minister for economy and sustainable development. He will replace Vakhtang Jaoshvili in spring-summer 2012. Georgian media say Kekelia was educated in Tbilisi, Rochester (USA) and London. He had management experience before entering the Ministry of Economy. Kekelia speaks Spanish, Russian and English fluently.
