The US urges Russia to remove the ban on direct flights to Georgia
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, July 15
Acting US Ambassador to Georgia Elizabeth Rood has urged Russia to remove the ban on direct flights to Georgia, which was initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to forcing our Russian MPs from Tbilisi on June 20.
Rood says that the US “is concerned” by the “disproportionate measures” which the Russian authorities and members of the State Duma addressed in reaction to the developments in Tbilisi in mid-June.
She said that she welcomed that both Georgian and Russian officials have expressed a wish for easing the tension.
“We call on Russia for the resumption of flight to Georgia because tourists from all over the world are welcomed in Georgia and they feel safe here,” Rood said.
She stated that the US stands by Georgia and supports its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ambassador of France to Georgia Pascal Meunier says that the ban on flights by Russia was the “first and an emotional reaction.”
“Russia’s first reaction was emotional. We understand that seeing a Russian MP in the Georgian parliament was followed by emotion in the Georgian people, but the same could happen in Russia when Russians saw that their MPs were forced to hide and leave the country [Georgia],” Meunier said, adding that “it was high time for returning to reality and acting with responsibility.”
Meunier said that the refusal of Putin to ban Georgian products was a right step, and he also welcomed the “positive reaction” of the Georgian government to the step.
The ban on direct flights to Georgia, which was initiated on June 21, came into force on July 8.
The Russian Duma also demanded the banning of Georgian products and freezing of remittances. However, Putin said that he “respects the Georgian people,” and refuses to do so, adding that “radical, opposition forces were to blame in triggering the tension” between the two countries, [which have no diplomatic relations since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war].
Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov, who is the president of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, took the seat of the Georgian parliament speaker on June 20 to address the international forum.
Georgians, taking to the streets the same day, stated that the MP, from the country which occupies 20 percent of the Georgian territories, must not have been allowed to take the high tribune.
Russian MPs had to leave Georgia amid protests.
Russia says that the “temporary ban” on flights will be removed when the “anti-Russian hysteria,” is ended in Georgia.
Georgia and Russia restored trade and economic relations only in 2013, under the Georgian Dream leadership.
