Interfax: Georgian president hopes to restore relations with Russia

TBILISI. Oct 8 (Interfax) – Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili thinks the relations between Tbilisi and Moscow will improve and does not fear aggression from Russia.

“Vladimir Putin seems to me an interesting person who is capable of really solving issues of utmost complexity for Georgia,” Margvelashvili said in an interview with Forbes Georgia.

“I have not met him in person but I hope that he is rational, an advocate of rational policies, and that, based on our countries’ interests, it will be possible at a certain point to restore the Georgian-Russian relations. I am hopeful of it,” said the Georgian president.

Asked whether there is a threat of aggression emanating from Russia, Margvelashvili said that, “Russia is a country which least of all needs territories.”

“For a country that is half the globe to add Tskhinval is, I think, incomprehensible by any logic. Based on this, I believe that at a certain point everyone will realize that by acting aggressively one cannot make gains politically. The same is true of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali – no one gained anything here,” Margvelashvili said.

He also stressed that Tbilisi is keen on restoring trade relations with Moscow, which is no impediment to Georgia’s integration with the European Union.

“We continue to pursue the strategic policy announced two years ago by the new authorities of bringing Georgian products back to the Russian market. This policy has not changed in any away,” Margvelashvili said.

“The return of our products to the Russian market does not harm Georgia’s European integration” as “we must take care to preserve the balance of trade,” he said.

“The signing of the association agreement between Georgian and the EU is not aimed against anyone,” Margvelashvili said.