Georgian PM appoints special envoy for mending ties with Russia

Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on Thursday appointed the country's former ambassador to Russia, Zurab Abashidze, as his special envoy for mending relations with Russia. "We are starting from a new page; we made a new step," the prime minister said after announcing the appointment, "After this decision by us, we expect a relevant statement from Russia." He said "I have a huge hope that the situation will be changed; I think that both countries have such stance; I think they also want to change the existing situation." "Our two countries have a long history of relations; we have lived together for a long time - before, during and after the Soviet Union. We should manage to at first mend and then to elevate bilateral relations to a new level," the prime minister said. On Wednesday, the new Georgian cabinet, confirmed by parliament via a confidence vote on Oct. 25, had its first official session. The prime minister, who chaired the session, told the press that the most immediate task would be to achieve restoration of Georgian exports to Russia. Zurab Abashidze, who served as Georgia's ambassador to Russia between 2000 and 2004, said "Relationship with Russia is the most problematic issue of our foreign policy." "The prime minister's decision to introduce this post (of special envoy) demonstrates his and Georgian government's readiness to create a new independent channel of relations, communication and dialogue with Russia," he said. The special envoy, who would report directly to the prime minister, said that he would expect the Russian side to have an appropriate reaction to the move taken by the new Georgian government. Russia banned importing Georgian mineral water and wine in 2006 citing quality problems, while Russia and Georgia do not have diplomatic relations since the August 2008 conflict in South Ossetia.