As long as Russia does not refuse to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia will not restore full-fledged diplomatic relations with it. This was announced today, August 11, by the Prime Minister of the republic Irakli Kobakhidze.
"As long as the so—called recognition by Russia is a fact, diplomatic relations, of course, will not be restored. Our goal in relation to the Russian Federation is a peaceful settlement of the conflict," he said.
Kobakhidze added that this "is one of the foreign policy priorities" of Georgia.
As reported by EADaily, before that, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said that Moscow was ready to expand pragmatic ties with Tbilisi. According to him, the key to Georgia's successful development lies not in confrontation, but in cooperation with the Russian Federation.
Tbilisi severed diplomatic relations with Russia on September 2, 2008 due to Moscow's recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which followed Georgia's attack on Tskhinvali and the defeat of Georgian troops by the Russian army. This year, on the eve of the outbreak of the conflict on August 8, the political council of the ruling Georgian Dream party said that former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili was to blame for unleashing the war, who acted obeying instructions from outside.