Karasin: Wine Sanctions Not on the Agenda

Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigory Karasin spoke about the supposed wine sanctions Russia was talking of imposing on Georgia.

As he stated in an interview with RIA Novosti, at the moment the topic of imposing restrictions on certain Georgian products has been closed.

“Amid the recent developments in Georgia, Russia was discussing the issue of imposing a ban on the import of the Georgian wine and mineral water. However, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin called for restraint and spoke in favor of a balanced approach. Thus, the topic of “wine” sanctions against Georgia is closed for now,” he said.

Karasin noted that Russia “has itself been under the pressure of sanctions for many years,” and therefore the Russian side is cautious about the introduction of restrictive measures against other states.

As for the Russian travel ban against Georgia, Karasin said that the restriction on flights between two countries is temporary. According to Karasin, the flight ban will be canceled "when the Georgian side stabilizes the situation in the country, ends the Rusophobic campaign and ensures the safety of Russian citizens in Georgia."

By Ana Dumbadze

Related Story: Vladimir Putin Against Russian Sanctions on Georgia