TBILISI. Nov 26 (Interfax) - Special Representative of the Georgian Prime Minister for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze will be departing for Prague on Tuesday to meet with Russian representative Grigory Karasin on November 28.
Apart from economic and transport issues on the agenda, the Georgian representative plans to raise the question of President of the Georgian Association of Orthopedists and Traumatologists Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was detained in South Ossetia on November 9 for illegally crossing the border.
"Vazha Gaprindashvili has yet to be released. Hopefully, that [the release] will happen before November 28, but if it does not the question will certainly be raised," Abashidze told the press before his departure.
The Georgian diplomat expressed the hope for the soonest positive outcome of the Gaprindashvili situation.
"Although this topic is more relevant to the Geneva format, I always draw attention to the situation on the occupied territories. A more detailed and substantive discussion will take place in Geneva [during the next round of the Consultations on Security and Stability in the South Caucasus] on December 10-11," Abashidze said.
The previous meeting in the Abashidze-Karasin format was held in Prague on June 13.
The Prague format established in 2012 remains the only form of direct dialogue between Russian and Georgian officials. The sides discuss trade, economic relations, transport, and humanitarian affairs.