Moscow responds to visa-free regime
By Ernest Petrosyan
Monday, March 5
In a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry issued on March 2, that government offered to restore the diplomatic ties cut by Tbilisi after the August 2008 war. "The Russian side has always been in favor of keeping and strengthening humanitarian ties between our people," the statement read.
However, the statement included inflammatory language, including referring to the war as a "military adventure by the Georgian leadership” and accusing Tbilisi of “creating an enemy image of Russia", and "rewriting history in order to portray Georgia as having been under 'Russian occupation' for centuries".
The Russian government also called on Georgia to revise its policy on the breakaway territories, as they claim it is making a "significant part" of the “welcomed” Russian citizens subject to criminal persecution upon their arrival in Georgia. This was in reference to a provision of the law which makes it illegal in Georgia to enter Abkhazia or South Ossetia from territories other than those controlled by Tbilisi; however, the law also allows for a series of exceptions. Violation of the law can result into a fine or a two- to four-year jail term.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry responded, saying that if Russia genuinely wants to strengthen ties between the two nations it should reciprocate Tbilisi’s lifting of the visa requirement, without putting forward “politicized preconditions”.
“Russia has used elements of a political show [in their] proposal to restore diplomatic relations with Georgia. Restoration of diplomatic relations obviously will only be possible if only one embassy of the Russian Federation is located on the internationally-recognized territory of Georgia – instead of three as it is now [in Tbilisi, Sokhumi, and Tskhinvali],” the statement asserted.
“President Saakashvili and the Georgian government regularly expressed readiness to hold a dialogue with Russia anytime, at any level, which would make it possible to discuss those issues that divide the two countries,” it continued.
The Ministry cited a list of issues the Georgian government wishes to discuss, including, “Occupation of 20 percent of Georgia’s sovereign territory by Russia; a campaign of ethnic cleansing, which made over 400,000 Georgians displaced in their own country, as well as recognition of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by Russia".
“Carrying out substantial dialogue on these issues represents a necessary precondition for full restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries,” the Ministry maintained.
“The result of comprehensive dialogue between Georgia and Russia should not only be the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but also the withdrawal of Russian troops from the illegally-occupied Georgian territories, implementation of the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement, and recognition of both countries’ internationally-recognized borders," the statement demanded.
The Ministry re-affirmed the administration's position that the "de-occupation" of Georgian territory will lead to the "natural" restoration of diplomatic relations with Moscow.
President Mikheil Saakashvili, in televised remarks given during a presentation of a Georgian-made rocket launcher in Vaziani, said that a restoration of ties depends entirely on Moscow. “Diplomatic ties with Russia were cut automatically as a result of Russia’s actions, when Russia stopped recognizing Georgia as a sovereign, independent state in August 2008,” Saakashvili said.
“These relations will be restored automatically as soon as Russia recognizes Georgia within its sovereign borders. It was not our initiative to cut these relations, and I reiterate that it was caused by Russia’s actions. Now, restoration is in Russia’s hands, but it is [not to be] done by such a declaration that they are ready – if they are ready to restore, they should at first do what is [needed] to be done for such restoration,” Saakashvili maintained.
The President nonetheless expressed readiness to negotiate these issues, regardless of who will be declared Russia’s next president on March 4.
“As far as visa-free rules are concerned,” he continued, “we have lifted visa rules because there are a lot of Russian citizens of Georgian origin, including hundreds of thousands of displaced persons, and a part of them is still in Russia. [It is] for them we have eased travel to Georgia. Secondly, we've done that for that part of the Russian public that is interested in coming to Georgia, traveling to Georgia, Georgia’s tourism, investing in Georgia, visiting their friends and acquaintances in Georgia – simply, this is a very clear confirmation of the openness of our society, firmness of our society".
Saakashvili also noted that the Georgian government is "always ready to hold a dialogue with Russia, without any preconditions, on full scale settlement, which will be based on the de-occupation of Georgia, recognition of the territorial integrity of Georgia, and return of half a million Georgian citizens to their homes, who cannot return there because of ethnic cleansing carried out by Russia".
The Georgian political elite, as well as political commentators, agree that the current reality is not one in which restoration of diplomatic ties with Russia is possible. Most find it inconceivable to re-establish relations until Russia leaves the breakaway regions and renounces their claims to independence. However, there is broad support for Russia taking steps to similarly abolish their visa requirements for Georgian citizens.