Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov states that Russia is ready to consider constructive proposals from the Georgian government. Sergei Lavrov made this statement during a video press conference in response to a question asked by Dimitri Lortkipanidze, who participated in the video press conference.

Dimitri Lortkipanidze was introduced by the moderator as the Director of the Primakov Georgian-Russian Public Center. Lortkipanidze asked the Russian Foreign Minister about the possibility of normalizing Georgian-Russian relations.

In the context of the question, Sergei Lavrov spoke about the agreement reached during the withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia.

“Putin and Saakashvili reached an agreement during one of the rounds of talks on the withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia that a joint Russian-Georgian anti-terrorist center would be set up in or near the region where Russian military bases were deployed. 30 Russian and 200 Georgian specialists had to work there. It would be a kind of symbol that the common enemy of Georgia and Russia is terrorism, and then the situation in the Pankisi Valley was unstable. Therefore, this center would work on these issues, but then the Georgian side refused to implement this clause of the agreement. I think if they had shown more respect for this agreement then, it could have changed the scenario. It would be a gesture of trust and cooperation. Therefore, Russia will be ready to respond to the constructive steps of its Georgian neighbors, and Russia is interested in that, “said Sergei Lavrov.

He also spoke about the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations between Georgia and Russia.

Lavrov said that Russia was not the initiator of cutting these ties.

“Today, the Russian interests section and the Georgian interests section in Moscow are operating at the Swiss embassy. We do not have ambassadors. The heads of the sections are working. This allows us to maintain connections. However, if it were embassies, ​​then economic, trade and cultural issues could be resolved more quickly and efficiently, “- Lavrov said.

According to him, if Georgia offers Russia to increase its trade representation, Moscow is ready to discuss this issue.
Sergei Lavrov also expressed hope that Russia and Georgia would resolve the issue of air traffic soon.

The Russian Foreign Minister also spoke about the statements made by the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili about Russia.
Lavrov says that “some statements by the President of Georgia are aggressive.” According to him, this does not contribute to “establish the right attitude in the society.”