Moscow And Tbilisi Locked in Stalemate Over Separatist Abkhazia and South Ossetia
On December 3, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Tbilisi’s stance on [the separatist regions of] Abkhazia and South Ossetia left no basis for renewing political dialogue with Georgia. According to the Ministry, Georgia continued to follow the approach adopted during the rule of former President Mikheil Saakashvili by insisting that diplomatic relations could resume only if Moscow reversed its recognition of the separatist Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The Ministry emphasized that such a demand was both "unrealistic" and harmful for Georgia, adding that Russia viewed its decisions on recognizing the statehood of these entities as "irreversible". Izvestia reported that, despite this political impasse, the two sides still maintained cooperation in several practical areas. The Russian Foreign Ministry further stated that Moscow remained open to steps aimed at normalizing bilateral relations, provided that Tbilisi was willing to take corresponding actions, noting that "the ball is in Georgia’s court," and that Georgia should be "more interested in this than others".
Responding to these remarks, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Prime Minister of Georgia, stated that the restoration of Georgia’s "territorial integrity" was a fundamental priority and would not be reconsidered. Commenting on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s position, he emphasized that Georgia had no intention of revising its policy regarding the "occupied territories" of the separatist Abkhazia and South Ossetia, stressing that the matter was "not subject to compromise".
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