Azernews.Az

Russia has offered Georgia to open the two countries’ shared border, Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze has said.
Vashadze said Moscow had sent a note to Tbilisi saying a possible border opening should be discussed by the experts of the two countries.
"Such a meeting has already been held. We have not yet come to an agreement. The sides merely heard each other out," he said.
Vashadze noted, however, that the opening of the Georgia-Russia border would benefit only Azerbaijan and Armenia.
"Even is such an agreement is reached, it will be of no importance for Georgia, because Russia has embargoed our goods. Also, under Russian laws, Georgians are barred from traveling to Russia," the minister said.
The Upper Lars checkpoint, the only legal crossing of the land border, was closed by Russia back in 2006. Officials explained the measure by a need for reconstruction, but the move came soon after a spying scandal between Moscow and Tbilisi.
Several Russian officers were arrested in Georgia in late September that year and accused of espionage. The Russian military and diplomats said the charges were unfounded. In just a few days Russia stopped issuing visas to Georgians and started evacuating its citizens from Georgian territory. Also, the Russian consumer watchdog banned the imports of some Georgian goods, including wine and sparkling water.
The two countries severed diplomatic ties after the brief war in South Ossetia in August 2008.*