Georgian, Russian Diplomats to Meet in Prague

Georgian PM’s special representative for relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze, has left for Prague where he is expected to meet Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin on November 19.

At the meeting, tentative date of which was agreed in October, the two diplomats will discuss issues that are usually part of this negotiating format, involving trade, economic relations, transport and humanitarian issues, Abashidze said.

“Number of issues have been accumulated since the last meeting [in July], which require to be discussed and solved,” Abashidze said.
 
Abashidze also said that he will raise the issue of Georgian nationals who are serving lengthy prison terms in Russia for spying charges. Last year Russia handed over to Georgia three persons, who were serving prison terms in Russia on espionage charges.

Meetings between Abashidze and Karasin are held in the framework of bilateral direct dialogue, which was launched in late 2012 between the two countries, which have diplomatic relations severed since the August 2008 war. The so called Abashidze-Karasin talks in Prague involve discussions mostly on economic, trade and humanitarian issues.