Russian Foreign Ministry Seeks to Improve Georgian Relations
After Georgian PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s dialogue proposal, the Russian Foreign Ministry is “satisfied with its spirit of continuing and deepening the process of bilateral normalization,” the MFA said in its statement today.
Four days after the Georgian PM reached out to Russia insisting on “reasonable” measures of dialogue to end “a vicious circle” between both countries, the media landscape was anticipating Russia’s reaction to a new direction in bilateral talks. The PM announced his repeated readiness to engage in “direct dialogue” about South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
“No one should have any doubt that Russia, as before, is interested in improving its relations with neighboring Georgia, and is ready to go as far as Tbilisi is ready to go,” reads the statement published by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The statement highlights Kvirikashvili’s “desire” for progress as an important component for future discussions and a better bilateral understanding, especially in regard to the upcoming meeting at the Geneva International Discussions (GID), which Tbilisi aims to shape “constructively.”
“We are convinced that such an approach would be endorsed by the other participants [as well], regardless of who will lead the Georgian delegation to Geneva,” the MFA adds, as the PM has announced the possibility of personally engaging in the future discussion round with Russian representatives in Geneva.
“This is the only practical way to settle the questions that worry Georgia, and that are outside the bilateral Georgian-Russian agenda. This also concerns the regrettable incident over citizen of Georgia, Archil Tatunashvili,” the statement concludes, also touching upon the controversial death of Tatunashvili by Russian authorities on February 22.
It remains to be seen if Russia will act on the statement to actively seek solutions for the conflict, recognizing Georgia’s willingness to take control of both regions and to end the occupation.
By Benjamin Music
Photo source: The UB Post