Georgian parliament speaker urges against vilifying RussiaOctober 22, 2012 - 20:11 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgia should stop criticizing Russia and creating new problems in bilateral relations, Georgian parliament speaker David Usupashvili said on Monday, October 22, according to RIA Novosti. “We shouldn’t be making pinpricks that gratify us for two days but create two-year problems,” Usupashvili, who is also leader of the Republic Party, said in an interview with RIA Novosti. “We should abandon the role of crusader with regard to ‘undemocratic Russia.’” The Georgian parliament met on Sunday for the first time since the October 1 election, won by the Georgian Dream coalition led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, which has secured 85 out of 150 seats in parliament. The new ruling coalition does not as yet have a “road map” for the normalization of relations with Russia but it has a “concept” of how that should be done, Usupashvili said. Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow after the August 2008 war with Russia over the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia should continue its efforts to join NATO and the EU, he added, but in such a way that Russia understands “this is not a loss for it but a logical historical process.” On Friday, Georgian deputy prime minister/defense minister-designate Irakly Alasania said the new government will seek to strengthen bilateral ties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia and improve ties with Russia. The dialogue could be mediated by Germany, which is an EU leader and “a country that has always had an excellent relationship both with Russia and with Georgia,” Alasania said. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |