TBILISI. May 23 (Interfax-AVN) - Tbilisi hopes that the upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy for the Georgian-Abkhaz settlement Valery Loshchinin will offer an incentive to the start of negotiations with Sukhumi on the future status of Abkhazia, a spokesman for the Georgian Foreign Ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency.
Georgia is ready to discuss with Abkhaz officials the document on division of powers between Tbilisi and Sukhumi and expects the same from Abkhazia, the spokesman said. The document has been elaborated by the UN secretary general's envoy to Georgia Dieter Boden.
Loshchinin, who is Russia's first deputy foreign minister, will arrive in Georgia on Thursday. Upon arrival he is expected to hold negotiations with Georgian Foreign Minister Irakly Menagarishvili and Minister without Portfolio Malkhaz Kakabadze. On Friday, he will meet with Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze and Boden.