Russia Plans to Continue Healing Relations With Georgia

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said that Russia plans to continue the process of improving relations with Georgia.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Moscow plans to continue improving relations with Tbilisi and open channels of communication have become more active, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said Friday.

“Russia plans to continue the process of improving relations with Georgia. The channels of our communication with Tbilisi remain open and have become active lately. This does not just apply to the trade, transport, and energy sectors, but also to contacts between people…this is undoubtedly positive,” Karasin told RIA Novosti.

Georgia launched a military offensive against the breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in 2008, ending in a five-day war with Russia. Both regions declared their independence from Georgia in the early 1990s and were recognized by Russia following the conflict.

Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia soon after the war, as Tbilisi does not recognize the existence of South Ossetia or Abkhazia as independent entities.

In December 2015, Karasin said Moscow was ready to restore diplomatic relations with Tbilisi, but Georgia demanded the withdrawal of Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia's sovereignty.

In January, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was seeking good neighborly relations with Georgia.