Russia regrets Georgian diplomatic ties

Moscow regrets Tbilisi's unwillingness to restore formal diplomatic relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry's Deputy Information Director Maria Zakharova said on Monday. "In answer to our proposal to restore diplomatic relations, the Georgian side again presented preconditions, namely changing [Russia's] official recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In this way, Tbilisi does not intend to review its decision on severance of diplomatic relations with Russia, taken in September 2008, she said, adding: "The Russian initiative of March 2 this year, which could have been of real use in restoring normal relations, was refused. This is a cause for regret, but is not really surprising to anyone." Georgia and Russia have been at loggerheads since Georgia gained independence from the USSR in 1991, and was then involved in internal conflicts with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Relations sank to a new low in 2008 after a brief war between Russia and Georgia when Tbilisi sent forces into South Ossetia, which it sees as a separatist province. Russia sent forces into Georgia to expel the Georgian forces from the area, and then formally recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, a move which has only been followed by a small number of countries.