NEWSLINK: Georgia Appoints Special Envoy for Relations with Russia

(“Georgia Appoints Special Envoy for Relations with Russia Civil Georgia” – Civil Georgia – November 1, 2012 – http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=25407)

Civil Georgia reports that Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has created a new post of Special Representative for Relations with Russia, appointing Zurab Abashidze, former ambassador to Moscow, to the position. Abashidze is to report directly to Ivanishvili.

Ivanishvili touts the move as a sign of Georgia’s good faith in wanting to build stronger ties with Russia:

Ivanishvili said that introduction of this post was Georgia’s “first step” aimed at demonstrating that Georgia’s new government had serious intentions to mend ties with Russia; Ivanishvili also expressed hope that Moscow would reciprocate.

“We are starting from a new page; we made a new step,” he told journalists while making an announcement about the new post. “After this decision by us, we expect a relevant statement from Russia; let’s wait. I have a huge hope that situation will be changed; I think that both countries have such stance; I think they also want to change the existing situation.”

At the same time, Georgia continues to embrace a mediation framework already set up to address issues surrounding the Russo-Georgian War:

[Ivanishvili] said that introduction of this post did not mean the shift in Georgia’s foreign policy priorities and either the change in Tbilisi’s stance over formal diplomatic relations with Russia. Ivanishvili also said that Georgia would “definitely” remain committed to Geneva talks, which were launched after the August, 2008 war with mediation from EU, OSCE and UN and involving negotiators from Georgia, Russia, the United States, as well as representatives from Sokhumi and Tskhinvali.

Ivanishvili highlighted an interest in closer economic and cultural ties with Russia:

Georgia’s new Prime Minister also said that the most immediate task was to achieve restoration of export of Georgian products to the Russian market. Russia banned import of Georgian products, including mineral waters, wine and agriculture products in 2006. He also said that trying to improve relations in other directions, including in respect of breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia would be a longer term objective.

“Our government should manage to mend relations with our biggest neighbor. Our two countries have a long history of relations; we have lived together for a long time ­ before, during and after the Soviet Union. We should manage to at first mend and then to elevate bilateral relations to a new level,” PM Ivanishvili said.

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“Many Georgians live in the Russian Federation; many Georgians work there… Our cultures are close to each other and it gives us a hope that we will be able to mend our relations. Although, I repeat, Zurab Abashidze faces a tough work,”

“I hope that we will be able to restore cultural and trade relations in the nearest future” …

He said that Agriculture Minister, Davit Kirvalidze, would work closely with Abashidze in order to achieve restoration of export of Georgian citrus to the Russian market this year.

Ivanishvili rejects a restoration of formal diplomatic ties as long as Russia persists in keeping what Russia terms embassies in regions impacted by the Russo-Georgian War, regions that Georgia considers Georgian provinces, but which Russia promotes as independent entities.

At the same time, Georgia is indicating an interesting in improving trade and cultural relations while leaving territorial issues as something to be addressed more in the longer term.

[Ivanishvili] also said that introduction of the post of special representative did not mean change in Georgia’s position about diplomatic relations. He said Tbilisi would remain against restoration of formal diplomatic relations with Moscow while Russia had its embassies in Tskhinvali and Sokhumi.

… restoration of diplomatic relations, which, he said, was also related to restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity, was a long-term issue; he said the two countries should start with “easier” task of restoring trade relations.

“We are starting with an easier [task] and we think that restoring trade and cultural relations is more realistic in the near future. As far as diplomatic relations are concerned, it won’t happen fast,” Ivanishvili said. “It will take a long time and it won’t be an easy process. You know that Russia has its embassies in Abkhazia and [South] Ossetia… The fact that Russia recognized Abkhazia and [South] Ossetia as independent states is a major reason why diplomatic relations cannot be restored.”

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