Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin met Special Envoy of the Georgian PM Zurab Abashidze in Prague yesterday. Their meeting was being postponed throughout March and first half of April. The sides expressed commitment to continue negotiations.
Karasin said that Russia will not pressurize Georgia into quitting the plans to sign the EU association agreement. He noted that trade between Russia and Georgia had increased by 50% in 2013, Georgian exports in Russia had doubled, 22,000 private visas had been granted, flights were made regularly.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili said that Tbilisi will do all it could to normalize relations with Moscow.
Nika Chitadze, head of the Center for Studies of Security and International Relations, said that moves towards Russia could damage positions of the Georgian Dream coalition. He called Garibashvili’s statements inappropriate in the context of three journalists detained by Russian border guards. He doubts that the countries will improve their relations sufficiently in the near future.
Alexander Rondeli, director of the Foundation for Strategic and International Research, expressed confidence that Georgia wanted to normalize relations with Russia regardless of the foreign political course. He added that Garibashvili’s encouragement reflected the position of the Georgian Dream coalition and all citizens.
Vakhtang Maisiya, a member of the Expert Club of Georgia, emphasized that regular meetings of Karasin and Abashidze and related statements made by Georgian authorities were also part of the NATO integration process. Peaceful relations with neighbours are part of the conditions for NATO membership, according to Maisiya.
