"We are contacting the Russian side and will resolve the problem in a few days," Gela Bezhuashvili said.
The consular department of the Russian Embassy in Georgia said Tuesday that it would stop issuing visas as of February 21, 2006 barring cases involving humanitarian factors.
"This forced move is caused by the fact that despite agreements reached on the withdrawal of Russian military bases and facilities from Georgian territory, which also regulate the rotation of Russian servicemen, the Georgian side has created artificial barriers for the receipt of visas by Russian servicemen during the year," the embassy said.
The embassy said servicemen from the Trans Caucasus Group of Forces who were sent to Georgia were now facing difficulties in obtaining visas.
"Also, visas of Russian soldiers and officers staying in the country are not extended," the embassy said.
Georgian State Minister for Separatist Conflicts Georgy Khaindrava said the Russian move was "ill-advised."
