Georgia, Tbilisi, March 23 / Trend N. Kirtzkhalia/
Georgia's Vice-premier Georgi Baramidze urged the international community to strengthen pressure on Russia, according to his Friday message to the "Eastern Partnership" participants.
Tbilisi is hosting the EU "Eastern Partnership" forum, which started on Friday in Georgia under the auspices of the State Minister for European Integration and the Polish Institute for the Study of the East.
The forum is being attended by representatives of legislative and executive authorities of the Member States and the countries of "Eastern Partnership" (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Ukraine), as well as NGOs, international media, business community and independent experts.
ThThBaramidze noted that Georgia wishes to see Russia as a stable, democratic and responsible partner.
"Georgia is doing its best so that the consequences of confrontation with Moscow would bring minimum of harm to the relations between Georgian and Russian peoples," he said.
Baramidze added that Georgia has cancelled unilaterally visas for Russian citizens, noting that Georgia expects Russian tourists, and not soldiers.
He underscored that Russia must fulfill the commitments made after the Georgian-Russian war, and withdraw its forces from all Georgian territory.
"International community must play an important role in this, and it should force Russia to begin the process of de-occupation peacefully".
Military actions were launched in the Georgian territory, South Ossetia on Aug.8 in 2008. Later the Russian troops occupied the Tskhinvali city and drove the Georgian military back. Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow and announced two unrecognized republics as the occupied territories.