Georgia, Tbilisi, Nov. 9 / Trend, N.Kirtskhalia /
The Georgian side calls the signing of the agreement on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) "very important", the head of the Georgian delegation at the talks, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergi Kapanadze said Wednesday in an interview with Rustavi-2 TV.
He reaffirmed that a package of documents on customs administration and monitoring of trade was signed by Georgia and Russia today in Geneva.
"This is an agreement that involves the international monitoring of goods turnover between Russia and Georgia and in the first place it means the commodity turnover with Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region," said Kapanadze.
Earlier, Russia and Georgia agreed in negotiations on a compromise version of the agreement, developed under the mediation of Switzerland. The document, in particular, provides for the placing of international observers on the Abkhazian and South Ossetian sections of the Russian-Georgian border, who will maintain control over the movement of goods. Last Saturday, the document was agreed by the parties.
The Deputy Minister noted that the document defines that the company, which will implement the monitoring, will be accountable before a neutral third party - Switzerland.
"We have agreed on exchanging notes, on the conditions of action of the monitor company, and the agreement also provides such important issues as neutrality of monitoring company, that monitors can not be citizens of Russia and Georgia, that they will have the right to free movement and no restrictions will be applied against them and so on", said Kapanadze.
According to him, it is important that the Russian side accepted the proposal, developed by the Swiss side.
"Thus, the Georgian and Russian sides have completed bilateral negotiations. It is very important to us. For the first time the international monitoring (on an internationally recognized border between Russia and Georgia) will be established", he said.