Georgia’s New Envoy to Russia to Focus on Framework Agreement

Valeri Chechelashvili, who was nominated as Georgia’s new Ambassador to Russia, says that finalizing a framework agreement, which is expected to shape many aspects of the two countries’ bilateral ties, is a top priority in Russo-Georgian relations at the moment.

“90% of the draft agreement is already finalized. I think the document will be signed this year,” Valeri Chechelashvili said during an interview with the Russian news agency Itar-Tass.

He said that the issues of Russian military bases in Georgia and lifting visa requirements also tops the political agenda of the bilateral relations. 

“Unfortunately, we can hardly say that bilateral relations are satisfactory at the moment. Of those four countries which Georgia borders, Georgia has the most problematic relations with Russia. With our neighbors, except Russia, Georgia has already signed a framework agreement,” Valeri Chechelashvili told Itar-Tass news agency.

President Saakashvili nominated Valeri Chechelashvili as Georgia’s new Ambassador to Russia in June. Valeri Chechelashvili has been serving as the third Secretary General of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Permanent International Secretariat since 2000.

Valeri Chechelashvili, who studied International Economics at the Kiev State University, joined the Georgian Foreign Ministry in 1989 and served as Georgia’s Ambassador to Ukraine from 1994-1998.

It is expected that the Georgian Parliament will approve his candidacy in early August.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)