Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said on Monday that the issues of delimitation of the Georgia-Azerbaijan border will be discussed at a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku during a visit in late December, Azerbaijani news agency Trend reported.

"The issues of David Garechi monastery complex, the Red Bridge and other sites will be discussed and we are interested in resolving these issues," he told a briefing in Tbilisi.

Ivanishvili noted that Georgia and Azerbaijan enjoy good relations and therefore there won't be any difficulties in solving the outstanding problems, and they will be settled "in a traditionally friendly atmosphere."

According to Ivanishvili, the relations with Azerbaijan are strategic for Georgia.

"We stand for the deepening of our cooperation and this will be discussed during my visit to Baku on December 26," Ivanishvili said.

Ivanishvili also expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijan for gas supplies at a low price.

"We are grateful to Azerbaijan for the fact that our neighbor supplies gas to us at a very good price," he said.

Georgian-Russian relations

Ivanishvili said that he appreciates the statement made by Russian President Vladimir Putin with regard to Georgia last week, in which Putin did not rule out the possibility of his meeting with Ivanishvili.

Ivanishvili welcomed Putin's remarks about Moscow's relations with Georgia. He added that his government will have a constructive attitude towards Russia, saying that the Georgian side intends to "patiently" expect improvement in Georgian-Russian relations and persistently go down this path.

The Georgian PM reminded that his government has appointed a special representative for the relations with Russia.

He stressed that Tbilisi will make every effort in order to normalize the relations with Russia, though it will be a difficult process.

Ivanishvili particularly welcomed the decision on the return of Georgian goods to Russia's market, stressing its importance as an indicator of a positive change in bilateral relations.

Ivanishvili reiterated his intention to meet with President Putin.

"Of course, I want to meet with the Russian president, but this requires time and it is necessary to prepare for that meeting," he said.

Tensions between the two neighbors rose in August 2008 when Russia crushed a Georgian assault to reassert control over Abkhazia and South Ossetia and later recognized the breakaway regions. In response, Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow and announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.

Georgia and the vast majority of other countries do not recognize Abkhazian and South Ossetian independence and officially consider them as sovereign territory of the Georgian state.

Ivanishvili also said Georgia will not re-join the Commonwealth of Independent States, but intends to strengthen its relations with CIS member countries.

No plans for early election

The Georgian PM made clear that he is not going to speed up the presidential elections.

"We will fail to explain this to the West and the U.S. if we start demanding President Mikheil Saakashvili's resignation on January 20, as the five-year presidency term expires on that day. We intend to wait until October," he said.

According to the new Georgian Constitution, presidential elections are to be held in October 2013. Afterwards, Georgia will become a parliamentary republic with a powerful prime minister.

"Of course, there is one point in the Constitution, but I asked the individuals supporting me not to raise the issue of impeachment and resignation of the president in January although of course, some are dissatisfied over this," Ivanishvili said.

Ivanishvili once again stressed that he has no plans to run for president.

"I do not intend to become president. You know following the presidential elections what powers and functions the president will have. Anyway, I do not intend to change my position, I'll be where I am needed for my people," Ivanishvili said.

During the briefing Ivanishvili also touched upon his foreign visits. After his official visit to Azerbaijan scheduled for late December, Ivanishvili will pay a visit to Yerevan on January 17, and then visit Turkey. The date of his visit to the U.S. is not yet scheduled, but he says that the visit is tentatively planned for spring 2013.