Russian experts believe Georgia interested in much closer ties with Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks made recently in Sochi that he may consider meeting his Georgian counterpart Georgy Margelashvili caused an immediate reaction in Georgia. The Georgian president says he is ready to meet with President Putin, while Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania supports the initiative.

Russian experts Alla Yazkova and Andrey Petrov believe such a reaction shows how much the Georgian political elite is interested in closer ties wih Russia.

According to Yazkova, the Russian-Georgian talks may soon assume a new level and the countries will be able to discuss various humanitarian and economic issues.

It's doesn't matter why Georgia is seeking better relations with Russia, it's not important whether Georgia is interested in the Russian market or is simply following the advice of the EU, Petrov says.

The only thing that matters is that the Georgian authorities are indeed ready to improve ties with Russia and it's not just a figure of speech, he says.