Georgian FM Gela Bezhuashvili has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Secretary of Security Council Igor Ivanov in Moscow. These are the first talks at that high level between Russia and Georgia after the latest differences poured into an open diplomatic conflict in September. In an interview with the BBC Bezhuashvili said, "We are interested in Russia's stance over the provinces that seceded from Georgia. We want Moscow to be our partner in that issue and help Georgia reunite. This is the essence of the issue in the Russian-Georgian relations. And the blockade and economic sanctions against Georgia will do no good and should be canceled." However, Ivanov accuses Georgia in escalation of the crisis and believes the relations will change when the Georgian leadership change their policy. Georgian MP, European Integration Committee Chair David Bakradze said, "It should be noted that Mr. Bezhuashvili arrived in Moscow from Baku, not from Tbilisi owing to Russia's sanctions. And the Minister going that way shows his readiness to dialogue." Moscow Institute of World Economy expert Alexander Krylov says Russia is not afraid to damage relations with Georgia: "It is important not only to gain new allies, but not to lose old ones. Moscow will first of all be guided towards countries, which showed themselves as our reliable allies. These are Armenia and the unrecognized republics," reports Golos Rossii.