Now Russians can visit Georgia without visas, but citizens of the Republic must obtain a visa to visit Russia. During the press conference the Russian President stated that Russia is ready to cancel visa regime.
MOSCOW, 17 Dec. The Georgian side should take advantage made at a press Convention the statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia is ready to cancel visa regime with Georgia and start rebuilding through diplomatic channels, relations with Russia, consider in the Federation Council.
Now Russians can visit Georgia without visas, but citizens of the Republic must obtain a visa to visit Russia.
“Vladimir Putin gave a strong signal sent to the leadership of Georgia, that Russia is ready to restore relations on an equitable basis”, — said the member of Committee of Federation Council on international Affairs, a veteran of the RAF Igor Morozov.
According to the Senator, Russia and Georgia “much common ground”. “We are ready to restore relations through parliamentary channels,” he said.
“I hope that on international platforms Georgian colleagues will be our supporters, not opponents,” added Morozov.
According to him, Russia has repeatedly stressed that he is not going to affect the will of other States, and in this case, Georgia needs to “negotiate with its neighbors — Abkhazia, South Ossetia”. “But it is clear that Russia will not allow Georgia to engage in the genocide of the population”, — said the Senator.
The Chairman of the foreign relations Committee of Parliament Tedo Japaridze said on Thursday that Tbilisi consider interesting and positive step Putin’s statement on the abolition of visas with Georgia.
Russia introduced a visa regime with Georgia in December 2000 because of the threat of falling into its territory of terrorists from the Pankisi gorge. Subsequently, however, Moscow has significantly liberalized the procedure for issuing visas to Georgian citizens. Georgia abolished the visa regime for visiting the country of Russian citizens on 29 February 2012.
Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia in response to Moscow’s recognition of independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in August 2008 after the armed aggression of Tbilisi against Tskhinvali. Representatives of the new Georgian government that came to power after the elections in October 2012, was named one of the top priorities of foreign policy normalization of relations with Russia.
Critical questions, key statements, photos from the event and video — online-a report from the press conference of Vladimir Putin on ria.ru >>
