Tbilisi says relations with Moscow can be settled
By Jamila Babayeva
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili believes that a good-neighborly and regular relation with Georgia is more profitable for Russia than current relations.
"The establishment of relations is possible," he told local TV channel.
Georgia and Russia, its giant northern neighbor, have maintained no diplomatic relations since a brief war in 2008. Tbilisi broke off relations with Moscow in August 2008 when Moscow crushed a Georgian assault to reassert control over two rebel regions -South Ossetia and Abkhazia- and later recognized the regions. Georgia announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.
Margvelashvili went on to say the Georgian government has worked and continues to work on moving relations with Russia to the rational direction.
He considers necessary the discussions at the possible meeting with his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin.
"Serious works for the preparation for a meeting with Putin has not yet begun, and the planning of such an audience has not been yet mulled," he noted.
Special representatives of Georgia and Russia, Zurab Abashidze and Grigory Karasin, are seeking to organize a meeting between Presidents Giorgi Margvelashvili and Vladimir Putin.
"A possible meeting was discussed, but not in details," Abashidze told local media earlier. "The presidents' meeting must be preceded by serious preparatory works," he added.
During the Sochi Olympic Games, Russia's President Vladimir Putin talked of possible talks with his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Margvelashvili.
In turn, Margvelashvili noted that he needs first to consult with officials inside and others abroad.