Broader agenda needed in Abashidze-Karasin talks - Georgian diplomat
TBILISI. Nov 25 (Interfax) - The Georgian president's foreign policy advisor Vano Machavariani said the format of the talks with Russia, to be conducted by the Georgian prime minister's special envoy for Russia Zurab Abashidze with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, must be broadened.
"There are two formats: Abashidze-Karasin and the Geneva talks on security and stability in the Transcaucasus. The change in the rhetoric and in the atmosphere they could feel, was strongly welcomed, which is a very important step. These relations were in a very complicated state. There are issues on which Russia and Georgia will fail to come to terms for long. However, this process must get started. We hope the Geneva talks have the potential to give a push for concrete themes. It is also important to broaden the Abashidze-Karasin format to embrace the economy, finance and investment," Machavariani told the press on Monday.
There are no prerequisites yet for talks between the Georgian and Russian president, he said.
