Russia ready for visa deal with Georgia

Moscow is ready to reach agreement on a new visa system facilitation with Tbilisi soon, but it is too early to speak about complete visa abolition, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

"A dialogue on the visa system is underway," he said. "We intend to expand the number of those people who get a visa by invitation. However, it is too early to talk about the abolition of the visa system when there are no diplomatic relations between the two countries."

Karasin added that Moscow and Tbilisi will be able to find a solution to facilitate the visa system in the coming months.

Large scale military action was launched in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.

Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke diplomatic relations with Moscow and has called the two unrecognised republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.


/Trend/