Russian foreign ministry sees hope for restoration of diplomatic relations with Georgia

Whether or not the diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia get back on track  depends on Tbilisi, Russian deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin said.

“It was not us [Russia] who broke [the diplomatic ties], and, hopefully, they can be rebuilt under certain circumstances,” he said.

“In the mean time, [Georgian PM’s special representative for Russia] Zurab Abashidze and I are looking into issues that can be sorted out in the absence of diplomatic relations.”

Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia in September 2008, after Moscow recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent from Georgia.

The Karasin-Abashidze talks have been on since 2013, serving as a platform for discussing economic, humanitarian, cultural issues between the two countries.  Georgian leaders have said repeatedly that what with Moscow’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states there is no way the diplomatic relations can be restored.