TBILISI. April 17 (Interfax) - "There is obvious progress" in Georgian-Russian relations, Georgia's envoy for contacts with Russia said after a meeting on Wednesday with a senior Russian diplomat.
"Besides economic and cultural matters, we discussed the construction of barbed-wire barriers in the Tskhinvali region," Zurab Abashidze told reporters in Prague after meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in the Czech capital.
"Mr. Karasin said that that process was over. Another issue that was raised - it was actually raised from the Russian side - was Georgia's [planned] signing its association agreement with the European Union." Abashidze said.
"My counterpart said absolutely unequivocally that Russia is not planning to put any pressure whatsoever on Georgia in connection with that agreement. That is a very interesting statement, which Mr. Karasin made at his own initiative, but we shall see how events develop - there is very little time left before that agreement is signed in June," the envoy said.
The possibility of a meeting between the presidents of the two countries was also brought up at the meeting, Abashidze said. However, such a meeting is not on the agenda yet because "very serious preparations are needed for such a meeting," he said.
He also said he had received a promise that Russia would release a Georgian national convicted of spying.