It’s ‘Early’ to Discuss Resuming Air Traffic With Georgia, Russia’s Karasin Says
Russia’s Federation Council Senator Grigory Karasin told Moscow-based daily newspaper Kommersant that it is “early” to talk about resuming air traffic with Georgia, suspended since July 2019 after Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov’s visit was met with unrest in Tbilisi.
In the interview, published on April 12, Karasin blamed “radical screamers in Georgia” for adding uncertainty to the issue, referring to March 31-April 1 protests over Russian-American journalist Vladimir Pozner’s trip and curfew-defying feast with Russian celebrities in Tbilisi.
Karasin said “we are glad to hear the balanced and condemning statement” of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who on April 1 slammed the protest “for clearly transgressing civilized norms.
The Russian Senator, former Deputy Foreign Minister also noted he continues to “work online” with Zurab Abashidze, Georgian PM’s special representative for Russia in the informal bilateral dialogue.
Although the two discussed terms for the possible resumption of flights in November 2020, air traffic remains suspended since July 2019 as per Russian President Vladimir Putin’s June 21, 2019 order. The decree cited the need to protect Russian citizens “from violence or other illegal actions” in the wake of unrest over MP Gavrilov’s visit.
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
