Georgia, Russia have unresolved problems, says Margvelashvili
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili said Georgia and Russia have unresolved problems, but they have started a dialogue on the issues enabling the bilateral cooperation.
He made remarks in an interview to the Turkish public television on September 29.
"Georgia will never accept the occupation of Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia. But there are some issues on which we can cooperate with Russia and we started an intensive dialogue, notwithstanding the unresolved occupation problem," Margvelashvili said.
He claimed that the current events in Ukraine do not only concern Ukraine and Georgia. "Events in Abkhazia, Southern Ossetia, Donetsk and Lugansk developed on the same scenario. Our Western partners should recognize the threats. Russia should understand the threats it poses to the existence of small territories controlled by the rebels," Margvelashvili said.
He excluded any alternatives to the restoration of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The tension in Georgian-Russian relations reached the climax after de facto secession of Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia in 1992-1993. Russia pressured the Georgian authorities to nod to deployment of Russian armed forces in the mentioned territories. Russia, now, dominates the collective peacekeeping missions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, despite the criticism by Georgia and several Western diplomats for failing to keep stability and neutrality in the conflict zones.
Margvelashvili said Georgia supported peaceful integration of the Abkhazian and Ossetian people. "We want these people to benefit from Europe, that's why we have quite peaceful messages for them. We will live in a single state with Abkhazians and Ossetians," he added.
The Georgian-Russian relations pushed all limits when Georgian troops launched military operations to retake the breakaway regions on August 8, 2008. Russian forces entered South Ossetia and Abkhazia to block military attacks by Georgian troops. After four days of intense fighting, Georgian forces were expelled from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia conducted massive air strikes on the military and logistical targets inside Georgia. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire on August 12.
Margvelashvili believes that the stability in the region will ensure Georgia's integration into NATO.
"All we want from NATO is the stability. We need that stability for future well-being of Georgia. Neither NATO, nor the Eurasian Economic Union is directed against anyone," Margvelashvili noted.
Georgia's ex-ambassador to Russia Ruslan Abashidze was appointed the PM's special representative for relations with Russia in November, 2012. Re-establishment of the economic relations between the two countries started since then. Russia reopened its markets to Georgian wines and mineral waters, which it banned in 2006 in line with the economic sanctions.