Dialogue with Russia is possible, says Georgian special envoy

Source:Xinhua Published: 2012-12-18 9:57:31

Georgia's special envoy on Russian issues, Zurab Abashidze, said Monday dialogue is possible between the South Caucasus country and its northern neighbor.

Briefing the media here, Abashidze said his meeting Friday with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gregory Karasin in Geneva is not bad for a first face-on contact after so many years.

The Georgian special envoy said that issues discussed during the Geneva meeting included cultural, humanitarian and economic relations as well as restoration of direct flights between Tbilisi and Moscow.

"From the Oct. 1 (parliamentary) elections, voters gave us a mandate to find a common language with Russia," said Abashidze, who served as Georgia's ambassador to Moscow between 2000 and 2004, "We cannot be in constant confrontation. I don't know of any country that has such relations with a big and difficult neighbor. Our Western partners have always advised us to launch a dialogue with Russia.

"We have started a dialogue as its only alternative is deadlock and permanent tensions. In this dialogue we mean listening to each other, exchanging opinions, looking for agreements through compromises."

Zurab Abashidze said that the Geneva meeting had been conducted in a business-like environment and that the Georgia- Russia dialogue process would not harm the ongoing Geneva talks which have been held regularly since the August 2008 conflict between the two countries.

"On the contrary, we will try to strengthen the (Geneva talks) process. We know we will have to listen to harsh criticism from many, though we hope the process will end successfully."

But the special envoy did not specify a date for the next meeting between him and a senior Russian official and he said that meetings would be held on a regular basis.

As to the restoration of Georgian exports to the Russian market, Zurab Abashidze said that it would not be a matter of Russia's free will but rather an obligation of Russia as a member of the World Trade Organization.

The special envoy admitted that the new Georgian government had known in advance that there would be lots of bitter criticisms, various opinions and assessments about the proposed dialogues between Georgia and Russia.

"But we should turn it into a positive part of this process, " he said, adding that he was open to recommendations.

Abashidze explained to the Georgian media that the Georgia- Russia dialogue format should be separated from the Geneva talk format in that the painful issues should be brought on only after the issues of trade and economic cooperation had been resolved.

The painful issues relate to Abkhazia and South Ossetia which pronounced independence after the August 2008 conflict.


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