Georgian foreign minister wants Abashidze-Karasin format to stay
TBILISI. Oct 16 (Interfax) - The Georgian parliament is working on a resolution on the possible signing by Russia and Abkhazia of a treaty on union and integration.
The press service for the Georgian parliament told Interfax the parliamentary opposition has come up with its own draft resolution demanding the suspension of Russian-Georgian dialogue in the format of the Georgian prime minister's special representative Zurab Abashidze and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin.
The opposition suggests maintaining contacts with Russia only in the form of the Geneva consultations, which involve the U.S., the EU and international organizations.
The parliamentary opposition also demands that the Georgian administration reconsider its positions on the issue of dialogue with Russia.
The parliamentary majority, for its part, is working on its own draft.
Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze told reporters on Thursday that the consultations between Abashidze and Karasin, which are now taking place in Prague, will show if this dialogue format should continue.
"I believe that one of the main questions for Georgia now is if Russia will sign this treaty with Abkhazia or not. I think this will be the central issue of today's negotiations in Prague. Our society is divided on the expediency of continuing the Abashidze-Karasin dialogue format. My position is that this dialogue should continue because it can give us information from the original source," Panjikidze said.