Zurab Abashidze: "We are ready to resolve conflict issues"

Official dialogue between Russia and Georgia on economic and humanitarian issues will be continued soon after the parliamentary elections in Georgia end, the Georgian Prime Minister's Special Representative for Russian Issues, Zurab Abashidze, said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.

- Zurab Iraklievich, first of all, when will your next meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin be held?

- Most likely it will happen in the middle or the second half of October.

- What issues will be discussed at this meeting?

- The agenda of our meetings is traditionally associated with trade and economic ties, transport communications, tourism and humanitarian issues. We always discuss this practical agenda, and I think the next meeting will be no exception.

- At what stage are Russian-Georgian relations right now?

- Relations have already been restored in the areas that I mentioned above. This year, Georgia was visited by a significant number of Russian tourists, and there will be even more by the end of the year, according to forecasts. The Russian side has simplified the visa regime, and citizens of Russia haven't needed visas to enter Georgia since 2011. Those are specific, practical accomplishments of our dialogue. As for the most complex issues that are discussed at the Geneva consultations, there is no progress there. But despite the lack of progress, the format itself is very important, and another Geneva meeting will be held at the beginning of October.

- How have relations between the societies of the two countries changed since you became special representative?

- I think that, in general, the degree of tensions has decreased, it is unlikely that another military conflict will break out, although, unfortunately, there are still incidents near Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region [the Georgian name for South Ossetia – VK]. These seemingly minor incidents can trigger processes that are difficult to stop: our region is complex, one must be very careful and vigilant. We constantly draw the attention of our Russian partners and western colleagues to this. We must move forward and address the issues associated with people who live there.

- Should Russia expect any changes in the behavior of Georgia after the upcoming parliamentary elections in the republic?

- Georgia has a constructive, pragmatic approach, and we are ready to continue dialogue and consultations, both in Geneva, in Prague and the Karasin-Abashidze format. Moreover, we are ready to take new steps, move forward and resolve the issues associated with the conflicts that I have mentioned. Of course, there are no diplomatic relations, and their restoration is not expected, but we are trying to break the deadlock and find common ground wherever possible.