Abashidze mentioned border issue at direct talks with Russia

Zurab Abashidze is the Georgian Prime Minister’s Representative for Relations with Russia. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The small-scale careful dialogue between Georgia and Russia continued in Prague Wednesday as Zurab Abashidze and Gregory Karasin met to sum up the results of six month of talks.

Abashidze, who was specially appointed by Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili to handle relations with Russia last year, told Interpressnews that at the beginning of the meeting with Karasin, the Russian president’s representative, he expressed concern about recent events taking place on the so-called administrative border with Russian-controlled South Ossetia. He told Karasin that the actions of the Russian border guards create humanitarian problems for the local population.

Karasin answered that ‘measures will be taken to study the situation’ and that the issue will also be revised in the next round of Geneva talks, where Karasin is the Russian Federation’s representative.

During the meeting the parties also discussed Georgian exports to Russia which will be upscaled in the next few months. Still under review are the issues of transport, railway and air travel.

Karasin remarked that there is work in progress to simplify visa rules for certain categories of Georgian citizens who plan to visit Russia, which will include relative connections, professional and business relations.

“In addition, we will agree on the next date of our next meeting,” Abashidze added.