Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia's readiness to
normalize relations with Georgia, Russian news agencies reported on
Thursday.
Georgia is a country "which Russia had not just enjoyed special
relations for many centuries, but relations of good neighborliness
and friendship," Putin was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as
saying. Putin received Russian Ambassador to Georgia Vyacheslav
Kovalenko, who will return to Tbilisi to continue his work.
Kovalenko was appointed ambassador to Georgia last July. In
September he was recalled to Moscow for consultations after
relations between the two countries broke down as Georgia detained
five Russian servicemen on espionage charges.
"Unfortunately in recent years we faced some problems in our
relations," Putin said. He also said he agreed with the Georgian
president last year on some steps, which are aimed at improving
bilateral relations.
"The first significant step was made last December, when we
signed an agreement on Russian gas supplies to Georgia. It is
important that these supplies will be made according to the market
principles," he said. "Russia's role in the settlement of the
current conflicts on the territory of the former Soviet Union is
growing... It is also one of the most important directions of our
activities."
The Georgian authorities "welcome Moscow's decision on the
return of its ambassador to Tbilisi," Koto Gabashvili, chairman of
the International Relations Committee of Georgia's parliament, said
on Thursday.
"The return of the Russian ambassador to Georgia is a good sign
in relations between the two countries. We are fully aware that
this does not mean an automatic solution of some problems, but this
step may become the vector for normalization of bilateral
relations. The Georgian authorities are for normalization and
development of relations with Russia, taking into account the
interests of both countries," he said.
Relations between Russia and Georgia have dipped after President
Mikhail Saakashvili came to power in 2003 amidst tensions over
Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. A
further cause for conflict has been Georgia's warming relations
with the West, including NATO.
The brief detention of four Russian military officers in Georgia
on spying charges late in September triggered strong protests from
Moscow and fuelled fires on already tense relationship between
Russia and Georgia.
During the spying row, Russia slapped economic sanctions on the
Caucasus nation and deported Georgians accused of staying in Russia
illegally.
(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2007)
