Putin Comments on Georgia
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 27 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi that Russia would do its best to help Georgia maintain its territorial integrity.
“Russia will not interfere in Georgia’s internal affairs and will support only peaceful solution of disputable issues”, Putin was quoted by Itar-Tass news agency as saying.
“Adjara is a part of Georgia and the relations between the central and regional authorities are Georgia’s internal affairs,” Putin said, referring to the recent tensions in Georgia’s Autonomous Republic of Adjara.
Speaking about Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia, the Russian President ruled out military solution of the Abkhaz conflict, saying that it will only widen the gap between the central authorities and the Abkhaz de facto government.
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not rule out the possibility of cancellation of visa regime between Russia and Georgia, which was imposed in 2002.
“Visa regime is not connected with good or bad character of relations, it is related to the problem of combating terrorism,” the Russian President.
He said, the Russian authorities failed to improve cooperation with the previous authorities of Georgia, “however Saakashvili [President of Georgia] suggested new initiatives on improving bilateral ties.”
Putin hailed Saakashvili’s proposals on joint patrolling the borders. “We have the only goal – to get rid of training centers of terrorists in the neighbor countries. If Georgia fulfills the suggested proposals, we may think over possible abolition of visa regime,” the Russian President added.
