Lavrov to Discuss Framework Agreement in Tbilisi

Russian Ambassador to Georgia Vladimir Chkhikvishvili told reporters on January 13 that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov plans to visit Georgia in February.
 
He said that a comprehensive framework agreement between the two countries, as well as the issue of withdrawal of the Russian military bases from Georgia, will top the agenda during the talks with the Georgian leadership.

The Russian Foreign Minister issued a report on January 13 regarding Russia’s relations with Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries in which it lambasted the policies of the new Georgian leadership, including this framework agreement.

The reports reads that work on a framework agreement between the two countries has stalled because the Georgian side has remained inflexible and “differences in the settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian Ossetian [conflicts]” persist.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry?s report, “Georgia avoided including a legally binding refusal to station the military of third countries or offering them military infrastructure in the agreement.” Without these assurances in place, the agreement would “not correspond to the interests of both sides.”

In an interview to the Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta, published on January 12, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili expressed hope that Georgia and Russia will sign a comprehensive framework agreement by the end of 2005.

?We are currently working over a framework agreement. In February we expect a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Tbilisi. I think that we will be able to authenticate this agreement. And I hope to sign this agreement, together with Russian President Vladimir Putin, this year. I have wanted him [Vladimir Putin] to visit Georgia for a long time already. He is always a welcome guest here,? Mikheil Saakashvili said.