Zourabichvili: Worsening of Relations with Russia has Stopped

The Russian daily Kommersant interviewed Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili after the Kazan summit of CIS leaders, where President Saakashvili met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Zourabichvili said that ?productive negotiations over the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia have increased the level of trust between the two countries. If we can to agree on one issue, then we will be able to find solutions to other important issues as well.?

She said that ?the process of worsening in our [Russian-Georgian] relations has stopped; now we are at a stage of stability and we need to take several steps in order to strengthen our relations.? She noted that Georgia expects ?an adequate reaction? from the Russian side regarding the South Ossetian and Abkhazian conflicts. She said that Russia should at least announce that ?President Saakashvili?s peace initiative over South Ossetia is a step into the right direction.?

Speaking about Russia?s possible move to increase the price of gas imported to Georgia, Zourabichvili said: ?On the one hand, if we want equal and normal relations with Russia, we should accept the prices which are on the international market and should not try to gain preferential treatment. Of course, Georgia will be in a difficult situation [in case of increase of gas price] and Russia knows it. On the other hand, if we want to improve relations, Russia should not speculate with the price. Everything should be balanced: Georgia should get used to the idea that it should pay the standard price for gas, but I do not think that it is in Russia?s interest to demonstrate that it has resorted to economic levers to achieve its [political] goals.?

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)