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Tell us, please, what economic and humanitarian projects are there between Russia and Georgia at the moment?
Sergei Glazyev , Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation
Economic projects, despite the breakdown of inter-state relations, are largely preserved.
Sometimes they obtain quite a peculiar configuration.
For example, our steel industry has traditionally received manganese from Georgia,
but now most of it goes through Ukraine.
Clearly, this increases costs, and the Georgian producers lose profits.
Traditionally, there are very strong ties in medicine between Georgia and Russia.
These links have also acquired a "shadowā€¯ nature, largely due to the deterioration of international relations.
However, I'm sure it will all be restored very quickly as soon as inter-state relations are fully normalized.
If we solve the problem of the restoration of visa-free travel
and the confirmation of the participation of Georgia in a relationship of free trade within the CIS,
including our Customs Union, we should expect rapid growth of both mutual trade and cooperation.
It's all going to be very beneficial to the development of Georgia.
What are the ways out of the situation that has arisen between Russia, Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia?
I think it's primarily a matter between Tbilisi and Sukhumi and Tbilisi and Tskhinvali.
Having recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
Russia is in no way trying to decide their fate.
We must reckon with the fact that, since Russia has recognized their independence,
it is difficult to require Russia to be responsible for Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
While recognizing the sovereign right of peoples to determine their own destiny,
Russia thus makes it clear to Georgia that Georgia and Abkhazia,
Georgia and South Ossetia should negotiate on their own.