Russia is open to the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Georgia, but this issue is currently not on the agenda, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated, as reported by the Interfax news agency.
“The initiative to restore diplomatic dialogue must come from Georgia. We have repeatedly stated that we are open to such a possibility, but currently this issue is not on the agenda.”
Zakharova recalled that “the absence of diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia is part of the tragic legacy of the country’s former president, Mikheil Saakashvili.”
“As for Tbilisi concluding non-use of force agreements with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, we have long been calling on Georgia to do so and expect the Georgian side to recognize the new geopolitical realities in the South Caucasus (Transcaucasia) and begin practical work on drafting and signing these documents in the near future. Such legal commitments would serve as a reliable guarantee against a recurrence of the tragic events of August 2008,” Zakharova added.
Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia on September 3, 2008, following the “August War” and Moscow’s recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
