Russia and Georgia Start a New Life
The Alia; The Resonance
Chairman of Russian Duma Council Genadi Seleznyov invited Head of Georgian Parliament Zurab Zhvania to Moscow while the relations between the two countries were extremely tense. Somehow, Russian Duma considered that this was the best time for Zhvania’s visit, the Alia says. The paper assumes that the visit played huge role in settling relationship between the countries. The Caucasus should become a zone of peace, and not of armed conflicts, Seleznyov stated.
After holding a meeting with Selsznyov Zhvania announced that Russia would always be a strategic partner in settling conflicts in the Caucasus. The Resonance considers that Zhvania patted Russia saying so as well as stating to Russian journalists that Russia is a privileged country for Georgia. The Alia is being more corrective and points out that “Russia and Georgia are starting a new style of life”. Announcements of Russian MPs support the papers opinion. They say Russia and Georgia are to definitely regulate relations with each other and they have nothing to fight and argue about.
The Resonance emphasizes on the fact that initiating the withdrawal of Russian military equipment for Gudauta base, Abkhazia, coincided with Zhvania’s visit to Moscow. Russians are leaving contingent 600 soldiers in Gudauta for a while. According to the paper, matter of Russian peacekeepers located in Abkhazian conflict zone will be determined at the meeting between Russian and Georgian Presidents.
“In short, Russian MPs offered support to Zurab Zhvania”, the Alia says. The Resonance notes a contradiction: “Georgian MPs being in Moscow point at wormed relations between the two countries while Russian Duma Council plans to discuss the “issue of Shevardnadze” in four days” (see 26.09.01 Media Digest).
According to the Alia, heads of legislative branches of the two countries spoke about the status of Abkhazia as well. “Russia is ready to leave Gudauta military base and define the status of Abkhazia. Everyone in the Duma outlined that Abkhazia is regarded part of Georgia having wide autonomous rights”, the paper reports.
