Russia, Georgia to hold consultations

The expert consultations on trade and economic issues will be held between Russia and Georgia soon in connection with Tbilisi's forthcoming signing of the association agreement with the EU, Georgian Prime Minister's special representative for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze told media on June 24.

"This issue was discussed during his telephone conversation with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin," Abashidze added. "However, he stressed that this meeting is not related to the format of his meetings with Karasin."

Abashidze said that a meeting of experts will be held before a meeting of special representatives of the two countries, to be held in Prague in early July.

"The issues on the bilateral agenda, namely holding of the expert consultations on trade and economic issues in the context of Georgia's forthcoming signing of an association agreement and an agreement on free trade zone with the EU in the near future, were discussed," Abashidze said.

The EU intends to sign an association agreement and an agreement on free trade zone with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova at the summit on June 27. (trend.az)