Tbilisi wants tourists back and still blames the Russian delegation
Whatever the government in Tbilisi, the population of Georgia will not accept the loss of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Zurab Abashidze, special representative of the Prime Minister of Georgia for relations with Russia, said in an interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets.
“You need to come to Georgia, drive 30 kilometers from Tbilisi and see what the so-called “new reality” looks like, which the Russian side is calling us to accept... I mean the situation on the dividing line itself. Our citizens are detained and kidnapped there every day. There is a so-called The militarization of these regions is underway. The transition is becoming increasingly difficult for local residents. Humanitarian contacts are difficult. And it’s impossible to get used to it. And from Russia we hear: there is trade, tourism, but forget about these territories. That's the problem. And it is impossible to accept this situation by definition, no matter what power is in the country,” said the Georgian diplomat.
He blamed the Russian delegates, whose arrival provoked unrest in Tbilisi.
“Ignorance of something cannot be an excuse for a politician or a diplomat. They are experienced people and should have known that at the forum there would be no toasts, but critical statements regarding Russia’s policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region,” Abashidze said.
He also made it clear that Georgia does not agree with Vladimir Putin’s interpretation of history, who emphasized that at one time Abkhazia and South Ossetia had relations with Russia as independent states.
“Scientists from the Academy of Sciences published a letter in which they gave comprehensive explanations on all issues of fundamental nature. Including in relation to Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region and their history as part of a single Georgian state. Georgia is the oldest Christian state. The issues of its borders in different periods of history have been thoroughly studied. There are a lot of reliable sources on this matter. Ancient Georgian tribes are mentioned in the Old Testament. And the origins of Georgian writing go back to the first millennium BC,” Abashidze said.
He claims that Tbilisi welcomed Putin’s decision not to impose additional sanctions against Georgia and is counting on the return of Russian tourists.
“The reaction of the Georgian leadership was positive. I think the peak of tension has passed. The main thing now is to remain calm. In recent years, a large number of Russians have visited Georgia and most have had positive impressions. They saw that ordinary Georgians had a positive attitude towards them. By international standards, Georgia is considered a safe country for tourists. In recent years, there has not been a single case of physical abuse of a Russian tourist,” Abashidze assures.
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