Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

Russia promised to study the situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict regarding the placement of barbed wire along the occupation line, the Georgian PM`s Special Representative on Russian Affairs Zurab Abashidze said after meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in Prague on June 5.

Russian border guards began demarcation work in several Georgian villages in the borderline area of Shida Kartli region, Georgian sources reported on May 27. In particular, the so-called border with South Ossetia moved 300 meters deep into the village of Ditsi.

According to Abashidze, at the beginning of the meeting he confirmed the Georgian side's deep concern over the recent developments at the so-called South Ossetian administrative border, which causes severe humanitarian problems for the local population.

Abashidze further noted that Karasin said this issue will be substantively reviewed during the next round of international talks in Geneva in late June.

Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia after their August 2008 war over the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia lost one-fifth of its territory after the two republics broke away. Tbilisi announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.

Meanwhile, Karasin told Russian media that Moscow demands that Georgia abolish the law on occupied territories that carries criminal charges against those who visit so-called South Ossetia and Abkhazia without crossing the Georgian border, interpressnews.ge website reported.

"The main thing that endangers our tourists is criminal charges for visiting Abkhazia and Ossetia. We consider that the only right decision would be to make the decision to do away with this law," Karasin said.

Furthermore, the half-year results of talks in the current format were summed up at the meeting.

Abashidze said they discussed the progress that has been achieved in the course of negotiations, which is associated with the export of Georgian products to Russia.

As for the results of the six-month Georgian-Russian dialogue, Abashidze said it was noted at the meeting that the process of Georgian goods export to Russia had been launched, and it would significantly widen in the coming months.

Russia banned imports of Georgian wines and two popular brands of mineral water in 2006, citing poor quality of the products, in a move widely condemned in Georgia.

Karasin also cited the upcoming apperance of the Georgian wines in the Russian market.

"We can talk a lot about the permission for Georgian wine and mineral waters to be on the Russian market, though the most important thing is that mineral water already enters Russia and it has even appeared in our stores. As for the wine, we will probably see it in Russian stores in June, as relevant documentation has been issued to seven of Georgia's wine producers," Karasin said.

Karasin further stressed that Russia continues to work with Georgia on facilitation of the visa regime. He said still a lot needs to be done concerning visa facilitation.

According to Abashidze, the Georgian side also confirmed its position with regard to Georgian athletes' participation in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Abashidze added, "We discussed the prospects for implementation of joint projects in the fields of science and culture."