Georgia, Tbilisi, Nov 1 /Trend N.Kirtzkhalia /
Bidzina Ivanishvili hopes that the Special Representative of the Prime Minister for Relations with Russia will be able to change the situation in the Georgian-Russian relations. The Prime Minister said, representing former Georgian ambassador to Russia, a political scientist Zurab Abashidze to the post that he will report to the Prime Minister personally, that emphasizes the importance of the position.
"We start our relationship with a clean slate, we reject the aggressive rhetoric and wait for the response. We have historical relations with the Russian people, which developed before the Soviet Union and then strengthened. We must adjust and settle the Georgian-Russian relations, and then lift them to a high level," Ivanishvili said.
The Prime Minister admitted that now relations between the two countries are difficult.
We had difficult relations with Russia also before 2008, and reckless war in 2008 finally led to the rupture of diplomatic relations. Moreover, there are many citizens of Georgia in Russia, a lot of mixed marriages, and it gives us additional trump cards in the settlement of relations" he said.
Ivanishvili noted that Abashidze has a "complicated and difficult" mission, "but I think that he has the resources of reconciliation."
Georgian Prime Minister hopes that now it is possible to restore the cultural and trade relations with Russia.
"And if we are be able to adjust the export of citrus fruit to Russia by the end of this year, it will be a great success," he said.
However Ivanishvili said that a strategic commitment of Georgia to NATO remains the main direction of foreign policy of Georgia, but the establishment of relations with Russia is "a necessary condition" of the country'sn development.
The Prime Minister believes that the position of President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili will have no impact on the efforts to establish good neighborly relations with Russia.
Military actions were launched in the Georgian territory, South Ossetia on Aug.8 in 2008. Later the Russian troops occupied the city of Tskhinvali and drove the Georgian military back. Russia recognised the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow and announced the two unrecognised republics as occupied territories.