The continuation of the normalization of relations between Russia and Georgia “fully meets the interests of the peoples” of the two countries, is convinced the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was stated in an interview with RTVI by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin. He also linked the March protests in Georgia to the West’s desire to “turn the tide” in the republic, persuade its leaders to support Ukraine more actively and sever ties with Russia.
“We are convinced that the further normalization of relations between Russia and Georgia, united by a common history and culture, the intertwining of millions of human destinies, fully meets the interests of the peoples of our two countries,” he said. said Galuzin.
According to the Deputy Minister, “despite the growing external pressure and the absence of diplomatic relations” between Moscow and Tbilisi, relations between the countries are developing, mainly in the trade and economic sphere. As an example, the diplomat noted bilateral trade between Russia and Georgia, which increased by more than half in 2022. By data According to the State Statistics Service of Georgia, as of January 2023, trade turnover between Georgia and Russia amounted to $2.487 billion. Russia has become Georgia’s second largest trading partner after Turkey (2.806 billion dollars), China (about 1.863 billion dollars).
Mikhail Galuzin said that the joint work of Moscow and Tbilisi “to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the only existing highway between the two states” is an example of “successful Russian-Georgian cooperation”. “On the Georgian side, the road infrastructure is being modernized, including the construction of a tunnel under the Krestovy Pass, on our side, the Upper Lars checkpoint is being extended. Actions on both sides of the border are being coordinated in order to avoid a reduction in the capacity of this transportation artery,” the Deputy Minister pointed out.
On the night of March 9, Telegram channels posted a video of traffic jams on the way to the Upper Lars checkpoint. They attributed this to the protests in Tbilisi in early March. Russians living in Georgia told RTVI that traffic jams occur there regularly due to the unstable operation of the checkpoint.
The issues of “ensuring security in the South Caucasus, which are discussed in a multilateral format with the participation of Abkhazia, Georgia, South Ossetia, Russia and the United States under the co-chairmanship of the EU, the UN and the OSCE, are held within the framework of the Geneva international discussions on Transcaucasia” are at the center of the common attention of the two countries. Diplomat.
Mikhail Galuzin also commented on the extent to which the recent protests in Georgia could affect bilateral relations with Russia. “Behind the demonstrations in March, we see the will of the West, dissatisfied with the pragmatic approach of the Georgian authorities, to shake up the situation in the Republic, to persuade its leaders to support Ukraine more actively, to sever ties with Russia,” he added. he said.
On March 10, the Georgian parliament rejected the Foreign Agents Bill at second reading, sparking mass protests in early March. Previously, on March 7, the majority of deputies voted for the adoption of the bill “On the transparency of foreign influence” in the first reading. On the same day, protests began to take place in several cities in Georgia. The actions continued until the morning of March 9. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Georgia’s draft law on foreign agents “risks having a chilling effect on civil society” and the media, stressing that it is “inconsistent with the values and EU standards”. Borrell also said citizens have the right to protest peacefully. US State Department Representative Ned Price, in turn declared that the Georgian bill appears to be based on similar Russian and Hungarian legislation and called the Georgian bill’s “erroneous” comparisons with US FARA.
