Lavrov Comments on Tensions with Georgia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow on October 3 that Russia is ?not yet planning? to resume transport communication with Georgia, Russian news agencies reported.

?One can not on the one hand feed from Russia and on the other hand humiliate Russia. The Georgian authorities should understand this,? Lavrov said.

He said that Russia will spare no efforts to ease the effect of sanctions – involving cutting of sea, land, air, railway and postal communication and plans to ban money-transfers from Russia into Georgia ? for ?law abiding citizens.?

?But we can not tolerate the fact that illegal money flows, which feeds the regime that is militarizing itself for its own goals and that has nothing in common with the needs of the Georgian people,? Lavrov said.

He said that Georgia?s actions are ?consistently anti-Russia.?

EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told Reuters on October 3 that EU hopes Russia will ?very, very soon lift these sanctions because sanctions do not, particularly in this case, lead anywhere.”

But Lavrov said that there is no need to invite third countries to mediate in defusing current Russo-Georgian tensions.

?Third countries have already been involved in relations between Russia and Georgia, but it has only harmed [the relationship],? the Russian Foreign Minister said.

He also made a clear reference to the fact that a recent series of incidents between Russia and Georgia, including the arrest of four Russian military officers, came after the President Saakashvili?s trip to Washington in July.

?The recent attack, involving the arrest of our officers, occurred shortly after NATO?s decision to grant Georgia a program of intensified cooperation and, by the way, this happened immediately after Mikheil Nikolayevich [Saakashvili] visited Washington,? Lavrov said.

He also called on Georgia not to look for an enemy in Russia.

?Relations [between Georgia and Russia] can only be normalized based on one principle: speak frankly, act frankly and fulfill what you have promised,? Lavrov said.

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