Russian Diplomat: Moscow Willing to Restore Normal Ties with Georgia

Russia is ready to restore normal bilateral relations with Georgia and “to fill it with a natural good-neighborly meaning,” which will be built on the basis of respect and will be mutually acceptable, Itar-Tass news agency reported quoting special envoy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Vyacheslav Kovalenko.

Kovalenko served as Russia’s ambassador to Georgia before the two countries broke up diplomatic ties after the August war.

“For 200 years there were no wars on a Georgian soil, and all these years Russia was doing everything to protect Georgia from this calamity [or war],” he said. “The leadership of the country [of Georgia] and a significant part of its population, as well as the political class have no understanding that Georgia has deviated from its historical path, which was securing its well-being and its territorial integrity.”

“Inability to critically evaluate what has happened and draw correct strategic and tactical conclusions is obvious", Kovalenko added.

Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, said in Washington on November 15, that Russia was “ready to build relations with Georgia.”

“But not with the current regime [in Georgia],” Medvedev said. “That is a red line, which we can not cross.”

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