Georgia Boycotts CIS Parliamentary Summit as MP is Refused Russian Visa

Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said on November 16 that the Georgian Parliament?s delegation will not participate in the Parliamentary Assembly of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) after the Russian Embassy in Tbilisi refused to issue entry visa to MP Givi Targamadze, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security.

The Georgian delegation led by Nino Burjanadze was scheduled to leave for St. Petersburg on Wednesday and intended to present Tbilisi?s  Action Plan over a peaceful resolution of the South Ossetian conflict on November 17.

The Russian Embassy in Tbilisi declined to comment about the reasons behind their refusal to grant an entry visa to Georgian MP Targamadze. The latter is known for his sharp statements about Russian policies. On November 16, MP Targamadze even alleged that the Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia and South Ossetia could be involved in drug trafficking.

MP Givi Targamadze said at a news conference on November 16 that he ?was blacklisted due to [his] statements regarding Russia.?

At a news conference on November 16 Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze demanded that the Russian side give ?relevant explanations? regarding this issue.
 
?If the Russian authorities have a so-called ‘black list’ of Georgian politicians, obviously we will also take adequate measures and many people will appear on the list who will never get Georgian visas. However, it seems that Russia?s political establishment will not worry about this issue, since their major destination is Abkhazia and Samachablo [breakaway South Ossetia], where they do not need Georgian visas,? Burjanadze said.
 
Nino Burjanadze said that in St. Petersburg she planned to call on the CIS member states, including Russia, to actively participate in the implementation of Tbilisi?s peace plan.
 
?We have always supported and still support Russia?s active involvement in the conflict resolution process, but if it does not happen, we will still settle the conflicts peacefully through the support of our strategic partners and our friends. We find it very important to call on Russia again to play a constructive role in conflict resolution and to perform its functions in the conflict zones; however, we have failed to get such an opportunity. Of course, we will express a strict and adequate protest regarding this fact,? Burjanadze added.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)