Russian-Georgian relations to gain momentum after presidential polls say experts

Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian parliamentary committee for the CIS, Eurasian integration and compatriots, said that Russia was expecting improvement of relations with Georgia after the presidential polls. He reminded that the two nations had become brotherly long before the signing of the Treaty of Georgievsk. Slutsky added that the new authorities of Georgia had more respect than the United National Movement.The Russian official noted that the breaking away of the republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia did not make the relations any stronger, but cooperation in the humanitarian and cultural fields and parliamentary diplomacy continued.Maksim Shevchenko, a member of the Russian Presidential Council for Interethnic Affairs, said that the old model of relations was history, just as President Mikheil Saakashvili was. He mentioned such national-oriented forces in Georgia as the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Georgy Topadze, Zurab Tkemaladze and Levan Pervili. The expert predicts that the Georgian Dream coalition will have a firm and logical dialogue with Russia. It is oriented toward Georgian Patriarch Ilia, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian parliamentary committee for the CIS, Eurasian integration and compatriots, said that Russia was expecting improvement of relations with Georgia after the presidential polls. He reminded that the two nations had become brotherly long before the signing of the Treaty of Georgievsk. Slutsky added that the new authorities of Georgia had more respect than the United National Movement.

The Russian official noted that the breaking away of the republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia did not make the relations any stronger, but cooperation in the humanitarian and cultural fields and parliamentary diplomacy continued.

Maksim Shevchenko, a member of the Russian Presidential Council for Interethnic Affairs, said that the old model of relations was history, just as President Mikheil Saakashvili was. He mentioned such national-oriented forces in Georgia as the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Georgy Topadze, Zurab Tkemaladze and Levan Pervili. The expert predicts that the Georgian Dream coalition will have a firm and logical dialogue with Russia. It is oriented toward Georgian Patriarch Ilia, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.